A Kurdish family was assaulted by a Turkish mob after playing Kurdish music at a wedding in Çanakkale’s Çan district in Turkey on Saturday, the Artı Gerçek news website reported.
The incident began when members of a local football fan group, the “17th Regiment,” repeatedly cut the power to the wedding venue. As the family ended the event early, a young family member was reportedly assaulted, with the attackers seizing his phone and money.
When the family requested the return of the belongings, the group allegedly responded, “We’re waiting with 50 people; come get it.” Upon arrival, the family was reportedly attacked with stones and sticks, resulting in multiple injuries.
Authorities detained at least 10 individuals from both the family and the attackers, releasing them after taking statements. The family has announced plans to press charges.
The assailants were allegedly coordinated through a WhatsApp group called “Red 17th Regiment,” where messages reportedly showed members planning the assault and discussing the wedding’s location. A group member, Sezai Kaya, posted on social media, “I have a strong Kurdish allergy,” after claiming responsibility for cutting the power.
Group members also thanked local officials on Facebook. Among those mentioned were Murat Okan, the Çan district chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and Harun Arslan, the mayor of Çan from the Republican People’s Party, though their direct involvement remains unconfirmed.
The posts spurred additional inflammatory remarks online, with one commenter writing, “Those who dream of Kurdistan end up in the graveyard.”
Local authorities have not commented, but public records show Arslan recently officiated a wedding for a family linked to one of the commenters involved.
Kurds in Turkey are often pressured not to speak their native language. Prohibitions against the use of Kurdish in Turkey go back many years. Kurdish language, clothing, folklore and names were banned in 1937. The words “Kurds,” “Kurdistan” and “Kurdish” were among those officially prohibited. After a military coup in 1980, speaking Kurdish was formally forbidden, even in private life.
The visibility of Kurdish on TV and in the print media was only made possible in the early 2000s thanks to significant progress made in the country’s bid to become a member of the EU.
Yet, the drift towards nationalism and the ruling AKP alliance with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the last decade has led to an increase in anti-Kurdish racist attacks.
