EUROPE-MIGRANTS/TURKEY ANTI-EUROPE Turks stage protests against Europe's migrant policies

Record ID: 142017

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/TURKEY ANTI-EUROPE Turks stage protests against Europe's migrant policies
  • Date: 3rd September 2015
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 3, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CARRYING A BANNER SKETCHING THE PHOTOGRAPH OF A THREE YEAR OLD SYRIAN BOY WHOSE BODY WASHED ASHORE WITH A T WRITING, READING (Turkish): 'Humanity washed ashore' VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING UP BANNERS AND DEMONSTRATING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER FATIH KOCAISIK, SAYING: "This is a humanitarian tragedy. Everybody agrees on that. If it were animals subject to this, a solution would be found immediately but when it comes to people we just ignore the problem. Especially if we are talking about Muslims nobody does anything. Christians should question themselves. They should ask what Muslims would do if it were their children who died?" (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER RECEP KOSE, SAYING: "All countries should embrace these refugees with a joint project. They should stand out for refugees and the United Nations should take the lead for these refugees." BANNERS IN TURKISH AND ENGLISH READING: 'Humanity is vanishing' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING BODRUM, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 3, 2015) (REUTERS) SIGN OF FORENSICS INSTITUTE HEARSE OUTSIDE FORENSICS INSTITUTE DEAD BODY PUT ON STRETCHER AND BEING ROLLED INSIDE
  • Embargoed: 18th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACCMWZ1QGOT83B0ST2RCWW8JMJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: PLEASE NOTE, THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    Turks staged a protest in Istanbul's Taksim square on Thursday (September 3) after an image of a drowned toddler washed up on the beach in one of Turkey's prime tourist resorts swept across Europe's media as at least 12 presumed Syrian refugees died trying to reach the Greek island of Kos.
    Television and stills photographs showed a little boy wearing a bright red t-shirt and shorts lying face-down in the surf on a beach near the resort town of Bodrum. Other video and photographs show, a grim-faced policeman carrying the body away.
    Turks carried banners sketching the still photographs of the little boy and criticized Europe's migrant policies.
    "This is a humanitarian tragedy. Everybody agrees on that. If it were animals subject to this, a solution would be found immediately but when it comes to people we just ignore the problem. Especially if we are talking about Muslims nobody does anything. Christians should question themselves. They should ask what Muslims would do if it were their children who died?" said protester Fatih Kocaisik.
    "All countries should embrace these refugees with a joint project. They should stand out for refugees and the United Nations should take the lead for these refugees," another protester Recep Kose added.
    Turkish media identified the boy as 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, whose 5-year-old brother died on the same boat. Media reports said he was from the north Syrian town of Kobani near the Turkish border, scene of heavy fighting between Islamic State insurgents and Kurdish regional forces a few months ago.
    Aylan's 5-year-old brother, Galip, and mother, Rehan, 35, were among 12 people, including other children, who died after two boats capsized while trying to reach the Greek island of Kos.
    Turkey has won international praise for taking in 2 million refugees since the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, spending $6 billion caring for them and receiving just $400 million in outside aid.
    But it has warned it is reaching capacity, and thousands are now making the perilous journey by boat from Turkey to Greece in a bid to enter Europe.
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