Riots in Turkey Over Election Ban of Kurds

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Twelve independent candidates in Turkey were banned because, the protesters say, they are Kurdish. In response, thousands of people poured into the streets of Istanbul, Diyabakır, Van and Hakkari. The clash with police in the southeast part of the country resulting in law enforcement firing water cannons at the crowd. The protesters threw rocks and molotov cocktails. So far the riots have left one person dead.

The government claims the disqualified candidates were banned because of past convictions and legal technicalities.

Buildings and vehicles were damaged during the confrontation. The violence adds to the already growing number of uprisings in the Muslim World.

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