# 2024 Turkey riots

The 2024 Turkey riots were a series of anti-Syrian protests across various Turkish cities, mainly Kayseri, which took place on June 30th and July 1st.

## History

On June 30, after rumors of a Syrian refugee abusing his niece in Melikgazi, violent protests targeting the refugee community of the city erupted. The suspect was arrested while the girl was taken into protective custody. Protestors began attacking properties belonging to refugees. Angry protestors marched around the city chanting "Erdoğan, resign!" and "I do not want refugees in my country". Although the protests started in Kayseri, they quickly spread to other areas such as Istanbul, Hatay, Adana, Urfa, Bursa, Gaziantep, Konya, and Antalya.
Protestors waved Turkish flags and made grey wolf signs in the streets. They also began burning shops and vehicles owned by Syrians, as well as throwing rocks at windows of Syrian homes. They were also reportedly stabbing refugees. There were protests in front of municipal buildings. Turkish police shot water cannons at protestors. In Seyhan, a group of bikers attempted to stage a convoy while flying Turkish flags, although the police prevented them. Police also set up barricades on streets leading to neighborhoods housing Syrians. Many of the rioters also shot fireworks. At a restaurant in Maslak, a Turkish man holding a knife approached a table of Saudis and made a grey wolf sign while threatening them with stabbing motions and racist comments.
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya announced that 474 people were detained after the violence. The riots triggered the 2024 Syria riots.

## Reactions

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the opposition of being responsible for the events in Kayseri and stated that "the reason for this event caused by a small group is the poisonous narrative of the opposition. It is unacceptable to vandalise." Özgür Özel responded to Erdoğan, stating that "there is only one power. What does he say, he says 'I am in charge of everything'. So you are responsible for this."
Özgür Özel called for the protestors to use common sense, he stated that "if you try to give the punishment by yourself, if you try to use force instead of the police and the gendarmerie, you will be unfair while you are actually in the right. In order for these events not to happen, the refugee problem must be solved."
The Pro-Kurdish DEM Party stated that "one of the consequences of racism against immigrants is the brutality in Kayseri last night. We condemn the hostile attack in which the houses, workplaces and cars of the families living in Kayseri who had to migrate from Syria were burned. The job of the authorities is to stop the attacks, to protect the right of immigrants to life. We stand by immigrants, not racism, discrimination, hostility to immigrants and fueled hatred, we live together, we are side by side."
İsmail Özdemir, Deputy Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), stated "it is our expectation as the MHP to ensure that our Syrian guests return to their countries in an honorable way as soon as possible."
Dursun Ataş, Kayseri deputy of the IYI Party, stated "we do not want Syrians in our city and country".
Aşkın Genç, CHP Kayseri deputy, stated that "150 thousand immigrants are housed in Kayseri. This city and this country can't handle it. It's not a matter of politics, it's a matter of the country. The government should immediately give it order and take concrete steps in this regard. It is necessary to ensure the return of Syrians to their own countries."
Ayşe Böhürler, AKP Kayseri deputy, called for the people of Kayseri to not engage in the events and stated that "our security forces and relevant institutions intervened quickly and effectively regarding the sad incident in our province and took the necessary steps. Our child is protected. We ask our fellow citizens not to respect any information other than the statements made by the official authorities."
Ümit Özdağ, chairman of the Victory Party, spoke about "how great anger the AKP's uncontrolled refugee policy causes" and continued "even in a city like Kayseri, nationalist, conservative and where the AKP is strong, such anger accumulation is not a good omen. The political, economic, demographic pressure caused by 13 million asylum seekers and fugitives is no longer manageable."