Posted on 01/07/2005 8:33:12 AM PST by miltonim
ISTANBUL (AFP) -- Turkish nationalists chanting slogans and waving the flag of an extreme right-wing party Thursday tried to disrupt a Greek Orthodox religious ceremony here called the benediction of the waters of the Bosporus, eyewitnesses said.
As part of a tradition dating back to Byzantine times, a crucifix is thrown into the waters and young divers plunge in, competing to recover it.
Some 60 nationalists interrupted the proceedings waving flags of the National Action Party (MHP) and chanting: "This is Turkey here, like it or leave it."
Hundreds of members of Istanbul's Greek Orthodox community attended the traditional ceremony held every January 6, the date of the Orthodox Christmas, on the banks of the stretch of water known as the Golden Horn, which cuts into the western side of the Bosporus dividing the city's European and Asian sides.
Police held the intruders back, and they later made an equally unsuccessful attempt in fishing boats to invade the section of water where the ceremony took place.
Istanbul has a Greek Orthodox community several thousand strong.
The Istanbul patriarchate is a regular target of demonstrations organised by Turkish nationalist movements. A home-made epxlosive device was thrown into the Patriarchate gardens last October, but caused only minor damage.
Islamic tolerance rages on
Do these guys know that Turkey was a Christan country until conquered my muslim armies and forcibly converted to islam?
Mohammedans.
These are the same people who murdered, robbed and conscripted over 2 million Armenians and other minorities, including Greeks when Kemal Pasha (Ataturk) was in power. They deny it all the time, but nothing is changed. I thought it was a condition of Turkey's membership in the EU that she admit and apologize about the whole holocaust? What happened to that demand? (Maybe I should not say anything. The last time I brought this up here, I was attacked mercilessly.... everything from cold indifference and outright denial to open contempt...'time to move one' was the attitude I think was expressed.)
"Yeah, Turkey is ready to enter the EU..."
And Mexico will be any better for the USA?
Sure Antoninus, thats why so many Mexicans cheered the Mexican soccer team aginst the US, join racist groups like MECHA and promote 'Reconquista'.
Get real.
"Do you actually know any Mexicans or people of Mexican ancestry?"
Yes, I have worked with legal and illegal MExicans in the US.
I have also worked with US citizens of mostly Hispanic decent and they are totally different from the Mexicans.
60 people in acity of over 12 million!!! What is wrong with you people?
When Kemal PAsa was in power? Where did you learn your history from? What holocaust? Get a life and read some real history book without forged documents and political propaganda.
Who worships this did you say?
Have you ever heard of the words Inquisition or Crusades?
Europeans and Americans idolize the Greeks because of our inheritance but the Greeks of old fought their wars in the manner of that ancient world and the Greeks today, just as the Turks, have not shed that heritage.
Insisting that one side in such a scene is Holy and always Good and Right and the other is Evil and always Wrong is just picking which contestant you like in a dogfight and insisting that one is Holy and the other is Satan. Preferring the Chrstian side is rational because of your heritage but it is just choosing sides.
What's wrong with us people is that we have seen this sort of thing to be a preview of escalating attacks, and wonder if this is yet another.
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