Pogrom against Syrians: Racist attacks spread across Turkey

In Turkey, racists and fascists hunted Syrians in many cities during the night. Workplaces and houses were attacked and looting took place. Many people were subjected to collective lynching.

The mass lynchings that started in the Kayseri province on 30 June on the allegation of sexual assault of a 7-year-old child targeted Syrian Arabs.

While state forces did not intervene in the racist aggression, attacks spread to many cities on the second day.

Groups mobilised with the Turkish flag and racist slogans and hunted refugees in Kayseri, Reyhanlı in Hatay, Bursa, Kilis, Adana, Antep, Izmir and Istanbul. Workplaces and houses belonging to refugees were attacked and set on fire.

Videos of the stabbing of a Syrian person in Antep were circulated on virtual media.

Due to the racist attacks, reactions also rose in Syria and Rojava cities occupied by the Turkish state and turned into clashes.

Protests in the occupied regions in Syria

Turkish flags were taken down, set on fire and many vehicles were destroyed in Afrin, Bab, Azaz and border areas.

Protesters gathered in front of the Turkish military headquarters in Afrin, which has been under occupation since 2018 and where the Turkish state has established a terror regime, chanting "Down with the collaborators of the national army trained and controlled by Turkey". The military occupation forces used weapons against those protesting against the racist attacks. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, two protesters were killed.

Protesters lowered the Turkish flag at the Bab al-Salama border crossing. Protests also took place in many other cities.