Men beat up fashion designer from Turkey and say: 'We couldn't hold back our national instincts'
Fashion designer from Turkey Barbaros Şansal was visiting Northern Cyprus when he was deported to Turkey today (January 3) with the order of Turkey’s officials in relation to a video message of his where he criticized the current situation in Turkey, appearing to be referring to the most recent attack at a nightclub on New Year’s Eve night. In the video, which Şansal later explained was recorded before the recent attack, Şansal sarcastically makes note of the recent restrictions in Turkey by saying ‘while this many journalists are jailed; while we see children getting raped; while corruption and bribery are everywhere; and while the bigots spread dirt on the streets, are you still celebrating the new year?’ As he also cursed at the end of his video message, a court in İstanbul issued a warrant of arrest for him.
While Şansal was getting off the plane at Atatürk Airport of İstanbul, he was violently attacked and beaten by a crowd of aggressors, who happenned to be waiting for his arrival at the apron.
Taken to police station by counter terrorism officers, who hardly managed to disperse the attackers, Şansal has been arrested on accussations of ‘degrading the Turkish nation and the Turkish state’ and ‘triggering hatred and enmity among members of the public.’
Meanwhile, the group of around 20 people who attacked Şansal were asserted to be Turkish Ground Service employees. In their testimony, one of them reportedly said: “We could not hold back our national instincts. We shouted. But we could not do anything because of the police shield.”
Lawyers of Şansal reported he got injured from his back due to beating. On the other hand, officials from Northern Cyprus expressed their regret over the attack stating ‘though it was a neccesary step to expel him from Northern Cyprus after the order of Turkey’s officials, it was nevertheless saddening and thought-provoking to see him attacked like this.’