In a sign of events that continue to unfold across Europe, Turks and Kurds have taken to the streets of Sweden to fight one another, with makeshift explosive devices, and an outpouring of physical violence.
The site of the events being played out above is Sergels Torg, a large square in the centre of Sweden’s capital city, Stockholm.
A demonstration that had been taking place on Sunday afternoon degenerated into violent clashes, reports one of Sweden’s larger newspapers, Aftonbladet. Rival groups of Turks and Kurds had been taunting one another, reaching the point when police were forced to intervene when firecrackers and rocks were thrown.
Stockholm police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson said police attempted to separate the warring factions. Aftenbladet‘s reporter on the scene, Victor Stenquist, said the police had to use batons to hold the groups apart and prevent a serious clash.
Police were forced to cordon off Klarabergsgatan, one of central Stockholm’s major commercial thoroughfares. In addition several entrances to the local branch of Åhléns, a chain of department stores in Sweden, had to be closed.
The police themselves became targets resulting in 13 people being arrested, two for assaulting a person who had to be taken to hospital.
The incident in Sweden is only the most recent clash between Turks and Kurds on the streets of western Europe.
Last Thursday it was Germany’s turn, when Frankfurt police had to intervene in clashes between Turkish nationalists and Kurdish separatists. The day before Sweden’s violent events the scene of clashes was Switzerland.