the Stadium of Light on Wednesday is being overshadowed by
fears that the game could become a flashpoint between
visiting Turks and Kurdish asylum seekers.
‘Police are preparing one of the biggest-ever security
operations for a match in the northeast of England amid
fears that English fans will try to take revenge on Turkish
supporters for the murder of two Leeds supporters in
Istanbul three years ago. But now, with international
tensions between Turks and Kurds inflamed by events in
northern Iraq, police are faced with the prospect of clashes
between those groups.
‘Superintendent Jim Campbell, from Sunderland police, said:
“We are liaising heavily with Turkish and Kurdish
communities in the northeast. We will be vigilant and deal
with anything if it comes up. We have a lot of asylum
seekers moving into the area, and many of them are Kurdish.
Some of them might try to make peace protests.”
Supt Campbell said: “We have to be prepared for potential
disorder between home and away fans. There is serious
flashpoint potential between England and Turkey.”