Turkey’s Erdogan links the riots in France with institutional racism Protest news

Turkey’s president blames France’s colonial past for the nationwide unrest, linking it to Islamophobia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan linked Frances nationwide riots to institutional racism and the country’s colonial past.

The French government has been dealing with violence and looting in Paris and across the country since 17-year-old Nahel M, a French citizen of Algerian descent, was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop last week.

Erdogan presents himself as the defender of the world’s Muslims after bringing his Islamic-rooted party to power in Turkey two decades ago.

He blamed Monday’s unrest in France on Islamophobia, which he linked to France’s colonial past.

In countries known for their colonial pasts, cultural racism has become institutional racism, he said on television after chairing a weekly cabinet meeting.

The social architecture built by this mentality is at the root of the events that started in France. Most of the immigrants who were sentenced to live in ghettos and systematically oppressed are Muslims.

Erdogan also criticized the widespread looting that accompanied the riots. Protesters, mostly minors, burned cars, damaged infrastructure and angrily clashed with police.

Six days of unrest have caused 20 million euros ($21.8 million) in damage to public transport in the Paris region.

The streets cannot be used to seek justice. However, it is clear that the government should also learn from the social explosion, Erdogan said.