30,000 people will protest in support of President Erdoğan in Germany

(Baonghean.vn) - Nearly 30,000 supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are expected to hold a protest in Cologne, Germany, to show support for the leader after the failed coup on the night of July 15.

Water cannons are kept ready in Cologne, Germany, in case violence breaks out between protesters. Photo: EPA.

Erdoğan’s government has launched a crackdown on those allegedly involved in the uprising. Interior Minister Efkan Ala said that as of July 31, nearly 19,000 people had been arrested and 50,000 passports had expired, sparking intense international concern.

The number of workers in the state economic sector laid off since the coup is more than 66,000, of which about 43,000 work in the education sector.

The political conflict in Türkiye has also spilled over into Germany, home to the largest Turkish diaspora. On July 31, nearly 30,000 Turkish supporters of Mr. Erdoğan are expected to protest in the city of Cologne, home to about 1 million Turks.

Several smaller anti-Erdoğan protests are also expected, raising fears of clashes between protesters. German security forces have quickly deployed some 2,700 personnel - including Turkish speakers - to potential protest sites in case of a worst-case scenario.

“We will intervene quickly, decisively and strongly in case of violence,” said Cologne police chief Jürgen Mathies.

President Erdoğan enjoys strong support among the Turkish diaspora in Germany, which contributed 1.5 million votes in the Turkish election. His AKP party won 60% of the vote in the German election held in late October 2015, higher than its share in Turkey.

Thanh Hien

(According to Guardian)