Hundreds protested against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the French city of Lyon Saturday as he visited Europe ahead of an expected bid for the presidency, reports The Daily Star.
Organizers said 1,000 people took part in the protest organized by pro-democracy and minority groups near a local government office, where Erdogan met regional officials. Police said there were about 500 protesters.
"His government is authoritarian. It scorns democracy by violently repressing peaceful demonstrations and minorities. It is not normal that he comes to the country of human rights," said Mehmet Demirbas, the head of a local cultural center for the Alevi community in Lyon.
The community, which follows a moderate form ofIslamand accounts for 10-15 million of Turkey's 76 million citizens, has frequently clashed with Erdogan's government.
Erdogan is touring European countries with large Turkish populations ahead of a widely expected run for the presidency in August. As many as 10,000 people demonstrated in Vienna when he visited Austria earlier this week.
Read more of this report from The Daily Star.