A group of about 300 protesters stormed tents set up to host the dinner in Diyarbakır, destroying tents and spilling food in a show of protest for American support of Israel at a time of a widening Gaza offensive.
The iftar dinner was organized jointly by the Sur Municipality and the US Consulate, and Consul John Espinoza was also in Diyarbakır for the event.
Hours before the iftar, 72 civil society organizations, including labor unions and some Islamist groups, issued a joint statement calling on residents to prevent the US from hosting the dinner in Diyarbakır. A number of officials from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) also extended their support for the call on social media, the private Cihan news agency reported.
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