Turks and ethnic Kurds brawl near Turkish Embassy in Tokyo as overseas voting for general election begins

At least 12 people were injured in a scuffle between Turks and ethnic Kurds as hundreds of Turkish citizens gathered Sunday at their embassy in Tokyo to vote in a general election, reports said.

TV footage showed police breaking up the fight outside the mission as voting for the November 1 election began early in the Japanese capital.

The injured included two police officers, Tokyo Broadcasting System said, adding that the cause of the fight was not immediately clear.

But Jiji Press, quoting a Turkish voter, said the clash began after Kurds tried to display the flag of a pro-Kurdish party.

“I was attacked by Turks all of a sudden while I was in a car with my friends,” a Kurdish man whose shirt had been torn off told the broadcaster in front of the embassy, which was heavily guarded by police.