Pro-Kurdish, Turkish protesters clash in Germany: report

BERLIN, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Protests against Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria turned violent in Berlin and Dusseldorf on Sunday, as tensions between Ankara's supporters and Kurdish activists spill over into Germany, German Press Agency (DPA) reported.

Around 200 protesters marched through the German capital, waving red, white and green Kurdish flags and chanting "Afrin", the name of the city that Turkish troops are battling to retake from Kurdish fighters.

Pro-Kurdish demonstrators began throwing rocks at a building in Berlin's central and multiethnic Kreuzberg area, reportedly in response to provocations from one of the residents in a block of flats.

The owner of a nearby cafe said the man had been waving a Turkish flag, according to the DPA report.

Dozens of riot police were on the scene, and several officers responded by storming the protesters, tackling at least three men to the ground and leading them away.

Spontaneous protests have taken place across Germany during the weekend. The country is home to a large Turkish immigrant population.

The Kurds' supporters are angered by Turkey's assault on Afrin, which it launched on Jan. 20 with the stated aim of dislodging the People's Protection Units (YPG), a U.S.-back Kurdish militia that Ankara considers a terrorist group.

Also on Sunday, two opposing protest groups clashed at Dusseldorf Airport, police told DPA. Around 200 people took part in the two protests.

It was unclear whether anyone was seriously injured in the violence that broke out between the two sides, DPA said. Enditem