ISTANBUL: Turkish authorities said on Tuesday they had detained over 470 people after violent anti-Syrian riots in various cities sparked by accusations that a Syrian man had harassed a child.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, “474 people were detained after the provocative actions carried out against Syrians in Turkey.”
The unrest began escalating on Sunday in Kayseri, a central Anatolian city, where mobs vandalized and set fire to businesses and properties owned by Syrians. Disturbing videos circulated on social media showed a grocery store ablaze and people chanting anti-Syrian slogans, expressing sentiments against further Syrian presence in the country.
Amid the chaos, a Turkish court in Kayseri ordered the arrest of the Syrian man accused of harassing the child, identified as a Syrian girl, whose family is now reportedly under state protection, according to Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the violence on Monday, attributing the unrest to political opposition forces and condemning the attacks on Syrians as “unacceptable.” Authorities swiftly moved to enhance security measures across affected areas, including Istanbul.
“Let’s not get provoked, let’s act moderately,” Interior Minister Yerlikaya appealed to Turkish citizens. He emphasized the government’s determination to address those responsible for inciting violence against Syrians. “Those who hatch these conspiracies against our state and nation will receive the response they deserve,” he said.
In response to the heightened tensions, Turkish police enhanced security around the Syrian consulate in Istanbul, deploying armored vehicles and increasing patrols to maintain order.
Turkey hosts approximately 3.2 million Syrian refugees, according to UN estimates. Similar incidents have previously erupted, notably in August 2021 in Ankara, where violent clashes resulted in damage to Syrian-owned properties and heightened community tensions.
The fate of Syrian refugees is also a burning issue in Turkish politics, with Erdogan’s opponents in last year’s election promising to send them back to Syria.
