Violent Backlash Against Syrian Community in Kayseri: How a Minor Assault Led to Riots

On Sunday evening, groups of men targeted shops and properties owned by Syrians in Kayseri, central Turkey. This came after a Syrian man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a minor. Several videos posted on social media and verified by AFP show men smashing the window of a grocery store reportedly run by Syrian traders, and setting it on fire. Other images show young men using rocks and metal tools to smash motorcycles and vehicles in the same area in southern Kayseri, known for hosting many refugees who fled the war in Syria. The private Dogan news agency reported that rioters also targeted other properties belonging to Syrians.

Police forces were deployed in the city to restore calm on Sunday evening, as seen in amateur photos and those taken by the DHA agency. The Kayseri Governorate called on residents to exercise self-restraint, explaining in a statement that the minor involved in the incident was also of Syrian nationality.

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