Chaos reigns on the Basel market square on Sunday evening.
cov. A Turkish festival for families and children in the middle of Basel ended in chaos on Sunday: a group of men attacked the people celebrating on the market square in the early evening. As the Basel-Stadt public prosecutor announced on Sunday, several people were injured. Five had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.
PKK supporters suspected as perpetrators
The police arrested five men between the ages of 24 and 30. The suspects are Turkish nationals. As eyewitnesses told “20 Minutes”, it is said to be Kurdish supporters of the PKK Workers’ Party. The attackers made a corresponding hand signal from the PKK. The public prosecutor’s office did not comment on these assumptions.
The first investigations by the criminal police showed that verbal provocations against the festival visitors had already taken place in the afternoon. The physical attacks followed shortly after 6 p.m. Video recordings on “20 minutes” show how the rioters throw objects into the crowd and hit individuals. Those present reported to the news portal that the group of around thirty to forty men also attacked older people and children.
Children’s festival so far carried out without incident
The festival was an event organized by the Turkish community for children and families, which has been held in Basel-Stadt for at least ten years – and so far without incident.
According to their media release, the criminal police have opened proceedings, among other things, because of “suspicion of assault and bodily harm”. Eyewitnesses can use a link to provide the public prosecutor’s office with image and video material for the investigation.