Kurdish activists, leftist politicians, and anti-racism groups organized a protest on Saturday in the French capital, Paris, following the death of three individuals at a Kurdish cultural center in an attack that authorities described as targeting foreigners. The protest led to significant clashes and riots, prompting French police to deploy tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
The shooting, which occurred in a bustling area of central Paris, raised concerns about hate crimes amid the rising voices of the far-right in France and across Europe in recent years. The suspected attacker, a 69-year-old man who was injured and has been detained, was previously charged last year with attacking migrants but was released earlier this month. Investigators are considering the possibility of a racially motivated motive behind the shooting that took place on Friday.
The incident shocked the Kurdish community in the French capital and sparked skirmishes between angry Kurds and the police. On Saturday, the Paris police chief met with members of the Kurdish community in an effort to alleviate their concerns ahead of the gathering that day in the Place de la République.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that it is clear the suspect was targeting foreigners and that he acted alone, with no official connections to any far-right movements or other extremist groups. The suspect has a past conviction for illegal possession of firearms and armed violence. Kurdish activists stated that the police had recently warned them about threats to Kurdish targets.
