Following the murder of three Kurds in what is
being considered to be a probable racist incident, there have been widespread
protests in Paris.
The fact that the authorities did not view the
attack at a Kurdish centre as a terrorist act has enraged the Kurdish diaspora
in Paris.
A 69-year-old man opened fire on a crowd of
individuals early on Friday morning at the Ahmet-Kaya centre on Rue d'Enghien
in the 10th arrondissement. One of the three victims is badly injured.
All of the dead were Kurdish community members
who passed away both inside and outside the cultural centre.
Agit Polat, a spokesman for the Kurdish
centre, charged that French officials "yet again failed to safeguard us...
This is a terrorist attack in our eyes, according to the AFP news agency.
In the afternoon, a number of protestors,
largely from the Kurdish diaspora, got into a fight with the police outside the
centre and in the streets close by, throwing rocks and torching trash cans.
Police used tear gas in response, and 11 cops were reportedly injured.
The Guardian reports that another protest is
scheduled for Saturday at Place de la République in the city.
The gunman appeared to be targeting
"foreigners in general," according to French Interior Minister Gérald
Darmanin, rather than specifically the Kurdish population.
Darmanin was cited as adding, "More
should be known about his motives after he had been questioned by police."
The minister added that following the attack,
security had been stepped up at Kurdish sites and Turkish diplomatic
facilities.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France,
denounced the "heinous attack" that "the Kurds of France have
been the target" in a tweet.
"A terrible attack in the centre of Paris
was directed at the Kurds of France. My condolences go out to the victims, the
survivors, their families, and loved ones. My appreciation to our law police
for their bravery and composure," stated Macron.
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