Sympathizers of the PKK terror organization and its Syrian affiliates the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed-wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), attacked Turkish citizens at Germany's Hannover airport Monday after a verbal confrontation over Turkey's military operation in northwest Syria.
Police said up to 180 protestors and passengers clashed after sympathizers of the PKK attempted to hold an unauthorized demonstration at the airport.
Multiple videos posted on social media showed the pro-PKK protestors shouting anti-Turkey slogans and punching Turkish passengers following a verbal exchange.
PKK/PYD sympathizers attack Turkish citizens at Germany's Hannover airport, shouting anti-Turkey slogans and vehemently assaulting passengers with punches, kicks in a confrontation involving nearly 180 peoplehttps://t.co/JvBenhJsdG pic.twitter.com/ITCyCCYjVV
— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) January 23, 2018
Hannover police said officers had to use pepper spray to prevent further clashes and later opened a criminal investigation against a number of suspects.
At least two people were injured during the brawl.
Supporters of the PKK have organized demonstrations in various German cities to protest Turkey's ongoing military operation against the terrorist group's targets in northwest Syria.
On Sunday night, sympathizers of PYD and YPG attacked two mosques in northwestern Germany, hurling stones and bottles of paint, breaking windows and spray-painting the names of the terrorist groups on the exterior walls.
Turkey on Saturday launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PKK-affiliated and Daesh terrorist groups from Afrin.
The PKK has been banned in Germany since 1993, but it is still active with nearly 14,000 followers among the country's Kurdish immigrant population.
Germany has a 3-million-strong Turkish community, many of whom are second- and third-generation German-born citizens of Turkish descent whose grandparents moved to the country during the 1960s.
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