Six people were stabbed during a Kurdish demonstration near Opera Square in Antwerp, Belgium, on Thursday night, according to Antwerp-based Dutch-language newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.
Four of the injured were found at Opera Square itself, Het Laatste Nieuws reported, while two others were discovered on nearby streets before being evacuated to the hospital for medical treatement.
"Two of the victims are in critical condition," Antwerp Police Spokesperson Wouter Bruyns was quoted as saying, noting that four suspects had been arrested.
Antwerp police believe that the attackers snuck into the crowd before attacking, Het Laatste Nieuws reported, and the public prosecutor's office has requested the suspects be charged with attempted murder.
'Terror-motivated attack'
The demonstration was organized by the Belgian Kurdistan Communities Democratic Council (NAV-BEL) in support of Kurds in Syria's Rojava region, who, according to Het Laatste Nieuws, called the attack "terror-motivated" in a late Thursday statement.
"It was a good, normal protest without incidents or problems," NAV-BEL was further quoted by Het Laatste Nieuws as saying. "Many families, women, young people, and children were present."
"This is no different from jihadists who specifically attack civilians in the streets, at Christmas markets, or other public places. The Belgian government must acknowledge that Kurds, even in Antwerp, are victims of hate speech and racist and jihadist-inspired violence.”
An additional demonstration, scheduled for Friday, has reportedly been canceled out of respect for the victims.