Turkey: Dozens held during Kurdish spring festival

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(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). Youth create a human tower during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). Youth create a human tower during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A woman chants slogans during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in ... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A woman chants slogans during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in ...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A youth jumps over a bonfire during the Newroz celebrations marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish cit... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). A youth jumps over a bonfire during the Newroz celebrations marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish cit...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). People chant slogans during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a ... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). People chant slogans during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a ...
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). People gesture, during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a regio... (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis). People gesture, during the Newroz celebrations, marking the start of spring, in Istanbul, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a regio...

ISTANBUL (AP) - Police in Turkey have detained dozens of people for chanting slogans or unfurling banners in support of outlawed Kurdish rebels during celebrations marking the start of spring.

Festivities were held Wednesday in Istanbul, in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir and in several other towns and cities across Turkey, under tight security. Kurds traditionally use the March 21 festival, known as Newroz, to assert their ethnic identity and demand greater rights.

The state-run Anadolu Agency said 22 demonstrators were detained in Istanbul for alleged "propaganda" supporting the rebels and a Kurdish faction in Syria that Ankara also considers as terrorists.

At least 26 others were detained in Izmir and Adana, the agency reported. Police also broke up an unauthorized demonstration in the mainly Kurdish city of Batman.

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