Nine to hospital ahead of Eritrea Festival

Nine to hospital ahead of Eritrea Festival
full screenToronto police on the scene after a fight broke out before an Eritrea festival in Earlscourt Park in the Canadian city. Photo: Arlyn McAdorey/AP/TT

Riots have broken out at an Eritrean cultural festival in Toronto, Canada, local media reports.

One person is seriously injured after being stabbed and is being treated in hospital. Another eight people are being treated in hospital for less serious injuries, writes Canadian Global News.

Lambros Kiriakakos, president of the Canadian-Eritrean organization CECCO, says the attack happened during the annual Eritrean festival in Earlscourt Park in Toronto.

According to Kiriakakos, festival workers were attacked while organizing the event in the morning.

– This is a celebration that goes on all weekend and they tried to have it cancelled,” he tells Global News.

The clash in Toronto takes place just two days after the violent riot in connection with an Eritrean cultural festival in Järva in Stockholm. At the time, counter-protesters accused the festival organizers of being loyal to Eritrea’s repressive regime.

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