A fight involving up to 20 people broke out in Exeter city centre during a protest march by Devon's Kurdish community over Turkey's military takeover of northern Syria.

The peaceful protest erupted into violence which spilled over from Bedford Square into H&M fashion store. Police and five or six security guards broken up the violent incident.

The demonstration was interrupted by two young men who ran through the centre of the protest shouting political slogans and swearing in Turkish.

They were immediately attacked by a large group of people who had been flag waving peacefully and listening to speeches up until that stage.

Violence in Exeter at Kurdish protest against Turkish military action in Syria

The brawl involved screaming, punching, kicking and smashing placards and flags over heads.

One woman was left holding her arm in pain and there was a mother with a child in a pushchair who was caught up in the fighting inside H&M.

Afterwards one of the organisers, Mitad Ishaq, who has lived in Exeter for 10 years since studying at the Centre for Kurdish Studies at Exeter University, said: "They had come to provoke a fight. The situation is very tense. It is very emotional."

Organisers at the event appealed for calm as protesters chanted slogans about the military invasion of northern Syria by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The demonstration was against Turkey's military action on the northern Syrian border. It started peacefully at 4.30pm from St Sidwell's Community Centre and moved towards Bedford Square where a message of support was read out from Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw.

Turkey started the military operation on Wednesday, October 9, following US President Donald Trump‘s announcement that US troops would pull back from the area.

Show more

Protesters are calling for a worldwide mass mobilisation and actions against Turkey to call for an immediate ceasefire.