‘Shirtless’ Syrian family attacked over loud music

ŞANLIURFA

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, while an 11-year-old was injured and hospitalized. DHA Photo

An angry mob has attacked a house in southeastern Turkey, claiming that the members of the Syrian family inside were listening to music too loudly – and with no shirts.

The incident occurred in Şanlıurfa late April 15, when locals started to argue with a Syrian family who had rented an apartment in the Eyüp Nebi neighborhood. The argument quickly turned into a fight, as batons, stones, knives and bricks started to fly, the Doğan News Agency reported.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, while an 11-year-old was injured and hospitalized. Some locals hung Turkish flags on their windows, while the Syrian family was relocated to another neighborhood by the police.

“We don’t even wear pajamas at home, but they hang out in front of their windows without wearing shirts. They even dance to loud music,” said a local, Mehmet Kaya. “We help them, but they turn against us. Then the police accuse us. Should we go to Syria? We don’t want them in our neighborhood.”

According to the latest official figures, 1.8 million Syrian refugees currently live in Turkey.