UPDATE - Supporters of PKK terror group turn Paris into battlefield, injure 31 police officers

ADDS NUMBER OF INJURIES; REVISES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Selen Temizer and Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - At least 31 French police officers were injured in violent acts perpetrated by supporters of the PKK terrorist group in Paris, police chief Laurent Nunez said on Saturday.

Having gathered at the central Place de la Republique at around 2:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), thousands of supporters of the terror group then marched to the Boulevard du Temple chanting pro-PKK slogans and carrying posters of the terror group’s so-called leaders.

They then ripped off the paving stones and threw them at the police, nearby houses, and shops. The attackers also turned the scene into a battlefield with fireworks and sparklers, destroying the bus stops.

Speaking to local broadcaster BFM TV, Nunez said at least 31 security personnel were injured along with one protester. There had been 11 arrests, he added.

The intervention by police at the scene was rather limited and they occasionally used tear gas against the attackers.

On Friday, a 69-year-old gunman in Paris opened fire, killing at least three people and injuring three others, according to local media reports.

Suspected racist motivations behind the attack will be investigated, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said.

Following the incident, supporters of the PKK terror organization wounded at least six police officers in Paris on Friday, according to local media.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. Though normally officially banned, the terrorist group also has a presence in numerous European countries.