Erdoğan aide: Europe is a dangerous place for Muslims
Turkish Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has said that Europe has turned into a dangerous place for Muslims. Saying that the treatment of Muslims in Europe today is reminiscent of “the demonization of the European Jewry in the 1920s,” Altun accused European leaders of attacking Muslims' values and leaders.
Duvar English
Turkish Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altunhas said that Europe has turned into adangerous place for Muslims, vowing to struggle against what he called“insults.”
“Europe is an increasingly dangerous place for Muslims,” Altun said on Oct. 25, apparently referring to an Islamophobia debate triggered by Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ remarks on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Erdoğan has also been involved in an exchange of words with French leader Emmanuel Macron on Islamophobia.
“The dog whistle politics of offensive caricatures,accusations of separatism against Muslims, and mosque raids isn’t about freedomof expression,” Altun said in a chain of tweets.
Saying that the treatment of Muslims in Europe today is reminiscent of “the demonization of the European Jewry in the 1920s,” Altun accused European leaders of attacking Muslims' values and leaders.
“Some European leaders today do not just target Muslims in their midst. They attack our sacred values, our scripture, our prophet and our political leaders — our way of life. Europe’s hostility towards Muslims and efforts to ‘discipline’ them is inseparable from the increasingly widespread hostility towards Islam, Turkey and our president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” Altun said.
“Here’s what those Europeans need to understand: Muslimswon’t go away because you don’t want us. We won’t turn the other cheek when youinsult us. We will defend ourselves and our own at all costs,” he added.
Hİs remarks came after Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Wildersposted Oct. 24 a cartoon portraying Erdoğan with a bomb, and wrote “terrorist.”
Following criticism against him, Wilders posted another tweet in Dutch, saying “The Turks are angry because I called Erdoğan a terrorist. The truth is sometimes unpleasant, but no less true.”