Pro-Assad protesters storm Turkish diplomatic missions, burn Turkish flag

13 November 2011, Sunday / TODAYSZAMAN.COM

Video footage shows pro-Assad protestors burning Turkish flag in front of the Turkish Consulate in Aleppo. (Photo: Cihan)

A crowd of around a thousand attacked the Turkish embassy in Damascus on Saturday evening, throwing stones and bottles before Syrian police intervened to break up the protest, Turkey´s state-run Anatolian news agency said on Sunday.

Attacks were also staged against Turkey´s consulate in Aleppo and its honorary consulate in Latakia, the agency reported Turkish embassy officials in Damascus as saying.      The attacks took place hours after the Arab League suspended Syria for failing to carry out a promise to halt its armed crackdown on eight-month-old pro-democracy demonstrations and open a dialogue with its opponents.      On Saturday evening, residents in Syria said crowds armed with sticks and knives attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy in Damascus and the French and Turkish consulates in Latakia after the Arab League suspended Syria.       They said hundreds of men shouting slogans in support of President Bashar al-Assad beat a guard and broke into the Saudi embassy in Abu Rummaneh, three blocks away from Assad´s offices in one of the most heavily policed areas of the capital.      Outside the Turkish embassy, protesters chanted anti-Turkey slogans, tried to climb the walls and force the gates open. Syrian police intervened using teargas to break up the protest as the demonstrators threw stones and bottles, Anatolian said.      After cultivating ties with Assad and Syria for several years, Turkey has this year robustly condemned the repression of peaceful protests, fearing Syrian violence could spill over the border if it develops a stronger ethnic or sectarian dimension.      Syrian opposition figures have met in Istanbul to forge a united front, the Syrian National Council. Turkey has also given sanctuary to Syrian military officers who have defected.       In Aleppo, demonstrators entered the consulate garden and tried to lower the Turkish flag but were prevented from doing so by consulate officials.      A group of some 5,000 gathered outside the Turkish honorary consulate in Latakia, 330 km (210 miles) north of Damascus on the Mediterranean coast, and broke windows. The officials said a Turkish flag was burned at this protest, Anatolian said.      No officials at the Turkish diplomatic missions were injured in the protests, it added.  Diplomatic sources said Turkey is evacuating most of its diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Damascus and consulate in Aleppo due to security reasons, private Cihan news agency reported. The report added the Foreign Ministry does not currently plan to recall the ambassador to Ankara.

 

Note ; its no good.. Things getting worse in Syria..

 

 

 

 

 

OMG!!!!  Nevermind what is actually going on.....the VERY WORST part of this story is that the burned a flag!!!

 

 

 

I am agreeing with you by having no doubt that you are sincere in your comment about WORST PART statement.

I admire your pure heart, tunci.

I admire your pure heart, tunci. The problem for postmodern westeners is often lack of ideals, lack of symbols, feeling of not belonging anywhere. The British novelist E.M. Forster said "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country."

Personally I think I could betray them both without too much agony.

 

 

Me too!  Forrest Gump had a pure heart too

seems like you are enjoying taking micky out of me..

 

 

Noooooooooo!  Ermm...ok maybe just a tad

But don´t you think that if a "pure heart" means having blind nationalism, patriotism and worship for a long dead leader, it could also be called "innocent/naive/ignorant"?  All of which sums up Forrest Gump

But then....life is just a box of chocolates eh?

 

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Then someone should enlighten me why we Turks so much like to burn Israeli flag in every possible occasion? Isn´t it a symbol of a nation or country or whatever you may call it to be? Why the hell Turkish police don´t stop those angry (or should I say brainwashed?) people from doing that but instead watch them with smiling face? Turks feel free to burn any flag in the world but when someone else burn their flag they get angry!  

 

 

 Yes, those who burn that [israeli] flag are ignorant too. You may hate Israel but it doesnt give you right to burn its flag. As I said , you need to respect the flag even it is your enemy´s flag. Thats one of the moral principal that makes us human.

Sorry, but this is pathetically stupid.

We ought to love others, not hate. We are all human beings, arabs or jews. We have to respect other ethnicites and nations because they are humans.

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

 

 

Sorry, but this is pathetically stupid.

We ought to love others, not hate. We are all human beings, arabs or jews. We have to respect other ethnicites and nations because they are humans.

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

 

 

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

Sorry, but this is pathetically stupid.

We ought to love others, not hate. We are all human beings, arabs or jews. We have to respect other ethnicites and nations because they are humans.

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

 

 

 

 

 

I start my words by wishing you a happy birthday !! [note : I am not gonna be rude and ask you if how long have you been existing on this earth ]

 

1. I am not a blind nationalist. The definition of Ataturk´s nationalism is ;

Kemalist ideology defines the "Turkish People" as "those who protect and promote the moral, spiritual, cultural and humanistic values of the Turkish Nation." Kemalist ideology defines the "Turkish Nation" as a nation of Turkish People who always love and seek to exalt their family, country and nation, who know their duties and responsibilities towards the democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law, founded on human rights, and on the tenets laid down in the preamble to the constitution of the Republic of Turkey.  Mustafa Kemal Atatürk defines the Turkish Nation by saying "the folk which constitutes the Republic of Turkey is called the Turkish Nation."

 

2. We are not worshiping Ataturk as you put it. We love him and follow his principals because of  there is no better leader come out after him. And there is no better ideology has been introduced to the world yet. So We owe Ataturk many things for what he done to this country and to the world. He is not only a leader of Turkey but also he is a leader that the whole world needs.

And We worship only GOD [ALLAH]. we dont worship human beings as you think.

 

3- When it comes to that "Forest Gump" rubbish, sounds like you watch too much Hollywood movies..

 

4. Unfortunately sometimes Life is more than box of chocolates...

Then someone should enlighten me why we Turks so much like to burn Israeli flag in every possible occasion? Isn´t it a symbol of a nation or country or whatever you may call it to be? Why the hell Turkish police don´t stop those angry (or should I say brainwashed?) people from doing that but instead watch them with smiling face? Turks feel free to burn any flag in the world but when someone else burn their flag they get angry!

lemon, I think there is something between you and Arabs. you insist to involve them in everything !!!!! scalpel was clear, he was talking about Turks ! so please put your hate to Arabs aside and stop talking about love & hate, cuz it seems you don´t know the meaning of those two words.

Why the hell Turkish police don´t stop those angry (or should I say brainwashed?) people from doing that but instead watch them with smiling face? Turks feel free to burn any flag in the world but when someone else burn their flag they get angry!

Sorry, but this is pathetically stupid.

We ought to love others, not hate. We are all human beings, arabs or jews. We have to respect other ethnicites and nations because they are humans.

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

 

 

I am the only one here who understands you Tunci wants you to reread his post, but I think he (the desarest hocam of mine) should do that with your post with no prejudice and try to understand what is the gist of your post. Know that I support you  

The flag of each country is not a symbol of worship but a symbol of pride and honor that identify people belonging to a group and should be treated with respect.  By treating the flag like they did by burning it they are sending the message that the Turkish people are not worth any respect. 

The only time a flag is to be burned is when it is so tattered and damadged that it cannot be flow hight with pride, then and only then is the flag permitted to be burned privatly and with respect.

A flag, any flag should not be trampled, spat on, urinated on deficated on or burned.  When that is done it is like you are trampling, spitting, urinating and deficating on the people that the flag represents.

You can be patriotic and humane also, it is not because you are patriotic to your flag and country that you cannot also be humaine and not love your neigbourg, there is not a switch in your head that when flipped to patriotic that the humaine switch gets turned off.

What makes a human human is belonging to a group to cultivate their interactions with others thus developing the humanistic values of the people.  You cannot be humane if you live alone in a cave with no other human contact, it is human nature.  Values and respect are developped in a group as a society.

So if it is stupid to be proud of the flag representing your country, then I am stupid and proud to be.

 

 I don´t think lemon stated anything that can be interpreted as an insult or hate towards arabs.  She was just using these groups as examples.  I am fairly sure that she knows exactly what these words mean.   

 

 

you people unknowingly worship it. just drop that patriotic blah blah.

you may belong to this or that group but you will die alone, your final destination is dirt.

When you stand before God, He isnt gonna ask if your were a good canadian. No, He will ask if you really loved Him. if you really loved your neighbours and your enemies.

Pls, dont bother yourself teaching me on humanism and other stuff. I dont want to contaminate my brain with it.

 

 

 1. NO one is worshiping any flag.  you do!

2. May be you too should get some patriotic values that can give you something to be proud of.  Pride is a sin.

3. How do you know our final destination is "dirt" as you put it ? Did you see that destination and back to life again ?  All dead are underneath (at least most of them), they burried in the dirt. I dont have to go there.

4. Do you know what actually love your neighbours means ? If you did, you wouldnt attack people´s values whether you like it or not. Loving in christianity is unconditional love..God loved everyone. You know who Jesus hated most ? It was Pherisies [religious teachers] who were preaching to people hypocraticilly ..blah blah

5. Yes , I am sure you love your enemies...you cant even stand other people´s values.. grow up.

It is not easy to love, even your family members. I think I can forgive my enemies, and that is love. I think I wouldnt love anyone outside of God.

 

Tunci, dear child, never ever teach me on christianity and Bible.

I thought you promised times that you wouldnt talk to me. Now you are talking. Why?

 

 

 

 

you people unknowingly worship it. just drop that patriotic blah blah.

big diffrence between worship and patriatism, look it up, in some countries you would be accused of treason and shot for remarks like that, thank god I live in a country where I have the choice to be what I want to be and be proud of my origins

you may belong to this or that group but you will die alone, your final destination is dirt. 

When you are born you are not alone, you come out of your mother and your father is present and when your time comes to depart you will be surrounded by your family and friends, maybe you will die alone and there might be a good reason why you are alone and if my destination is dirt then good because then earthworms will have a feast with my decaying body

When you stand before God, He isnt gonna ask if your were a good canadian. No, He will ask if you really loved Him. if you really loved your neighbours and your enemies.  If I am to be judge by God, if he or she exists it will be between me and him/her and thoereticly how can I love someone that does not exist, you are asking me to have blind faith in someone that may or may not exist since there is no concrete prouf he or she existed

Pls, dont bother yourself teaching me on humanism and other stuff. I dont want to contaminate my brain with it.  

Then do not contaminate out minds with your trivial blah blahs because that is what you are doing also

Stumpy, who forces you to read my posts and reply to them? Who forces you to listen to what I teach and preach?

If you dont like what I write and think I am a bad person here, just ignore me.

Same goes for you lemon, why don´t you practice what you preach.  Why is it ok for you to post and reply to others but others cannot reply or comment on your posts?  It´s a two way street sweetheart you have to expect to meet oncoming traffic but it is up to you not to get hit by the traffic.

If you don´t want me to read your posts then don´t post and don´t you dare put words in my mouth, I never said you were a bad person but my opinion can change, just give me a reason!

Stumpy, are you OK?

You sound you lost the plot.

hahahaha stumpy, I didnt know you were a comedian! Im thinking if I should pay you for the show you play here

Don´t you people ever get tired? It´s seven o´clock in the morning.

Sorry, but this is pathetically stupid.

We ought to love others, not hate. We are all human beings, arabs or jews. We have to respect other ethnicites and nations because they are humans.

Their flags are just a piece of cloth worth of nothing that can be changed anytime to anything. These are only symbols and signs. Very much changeable.

What makes us humans human is Love and kindness in the attitude to neighbours not some kinda rubbish so called principals of symbol worshipping.

 

 

 

 

 Now I am confused lemon. In another thread you were accusing me of loving another nation too much. 

Its ok bydand that you are confused. I am used to that.

 

 

 

 

 Glad to hear it. Try a little more consistency and that might help.

 

 

Oh thank you, darlink, what if not you, my Godsent brother!

 

 

 

You were fighting a four-front war all alone here  when I was happily dreaming and snoring in my soft and warm bad.. sorry dear..   

 

 

Flags have deeper meanings to some other people. Any mistreatment of it is concieved as an insult that may even get you killed. Those things happened in Turkia (Remember 2 Leed fans killed in Istanbul in 2000?). So be careful if you happen to be in Turkia by any chance.

 

 

So, is it worth killing people for burning symbols? Would you kill me if I burn Turkish flag?

I understand that people are attached to their feelings about their country. I think we all grow up to be patriots and loyal to the country´s ideologies.

However, when we become adults we are free to choose after we give thoughts to many ideas that we were fed with during our life. We go and search for truth, or the purpose and meaning of life. We re-think over matters, some are taboo, some are stupid, some are wise.

You and I differ because I try to look through my own experience and belief. I believe that Heaven is my homeland and God is my father. He teaches me to love others and even ask blessings for my enemies. He tells me that my life here is something temporary. That everything will perish: my family, my friends, my country and even this earth.

Thats the reason I sound as if I have no values regarding my country or respect for things that are important to many people in their own eyes, because God is more important to me more than anything, more than my own mother and children.

 

Dear lemon,

It´s a fact of Turkia. If you happen to go to Turkia, do not do any bad things directed to Turkish flag.

Personally I would react in some way but don´t ask me how. The probability for us to meet face to face in this universe is (next to) zero. So in general, do not insult Turkish flag in Turkia. Just be sane. Is there any reason for you to burn Turkish flag?