'Not migrants, but Europe's own shaking its security'

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) - On another Saturday shaken by protests in three European countries, Turkey’s president said Europe's security and welfare is not being shaken by Muslims or immigrants, but by Europe's own people.

"The walls of security and welfare that they so cherished started to be shaken not by migrants or Muslims, but by their own citizens," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a mass opening ceremony in Istanbul.

Telling how he has been following coverage from Europe’s streets with concern, Erdogan said the scenes of the Yellow Vest protesters show that Europe has failed on democracy, human rights, and freedom.

He said he opposes both the chaos caused by the protesters and the disproportionate force used against them.

Some 700 people were arrested during protests in France on Saturday, with police using pepper spray on demonstrators.

Similar protests were also seen to the northeast, in Belgium and the Netherlands.