Turkey condemns French politicians who participated in protest against the killing of Kurds

ANKARA, Reuters – Turkey has denounced French politicians for participating in a Paris protest over the killing of three Kurds. The demonstrators held flags of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and waved them.

Clashes broke out between police and Kurdish protesters last week, angered at Friday’s murder of three members of their community.

Some protestors waved flags and posters from the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and the European Union.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister, complained about the gathering during a call with Catherine Colonna, his French counterpart.

“Minister Cavusoglu… stressed that it was unacceptable that French politicians attended events (protests), at which flags of terrorist organisation PKK were waved and posters of its leader. The ministry stated that he said France should not permit such activities.

Turkey stated Monday that it summoned France’s ambassador in protest at French officials’ and politicians “involvement” in anti-Turkish propaganda.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that the French government had asked police to strengthen protection of Kurdish communities sites following the massacres. President Emmanuel Macron stated that the attack on Kurds was “heinous”.

(Reporting and editing by Huseyin Hayatsever, Nick Macfie and Jonathan Spicer)