06.07.2026 18:51
In Tekirdağ, one of Turkey's most important watermelon production centers, a street vendor who claimed that municipal inspection teams did not allow him to sell smashed the watermelons in his truck in front of the municipal building. After the incident, which police intervened in, the area in front of the municipality turned into a battlefield.
A mobile vendor, claiming that municipal police teams in the Saray district of Tekirdağ did not allow him to sell, smashed dozens of watermelons from his truck onto the road in front of the municipal building, shattering them. The road was painted red in the incident in Tekirdağ, one of Turkey's most important and famous watermelon production centers.
FACED OBSTACLE FROM MUNICIPAL POLICE
The incident occurred around 3:00 p.m. in the Saray district center. Mobile vendor Caner Gültaş, who was selling melons and watermelons from his truck, claimed he was blocked by municipal police teams at the district entrance. Angered by the situation, Gültaş drove his loaded vehicle directly to the front of the Saray Municipality building.
"EVERYTHING I HAVE IS LEGAL, BUT THEY ONLY WON'T LET ME SELL"
The mobile vendor opened the back of his truck and began throwing watermelons one by one onto the municipal square and sidewalk, shattering dozens of watermelons as bewildered local residents watched. After throwing the watermelons, Gültaş tried to enter the municipal building to express his reaction but was stopped by police teams dispatched to the scene upon a report.
Mobile vendor Caner Gültaş, arguing that the municipal police were applying double standards, complained with these words:
"I pay my taxes down to the last penny, everything I have is legal. But while the municipal police turn a blind eye to other vendors, they won't allow me to sell."
MUNICIPAL FRONT CLEANED, INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED
Calmed down by police teams, Gültaş was taken to the police station for statement and processing. After the protest, the front of the municipality, which was covered with Tekirdağ's famous watermelons and turned into a veritable battlefield, was swept and washed down with pressurized water by Saray Municipality cleaning staff.
No official statement has yet been made by the Saray Municipality regarding the unusual protest and allegations. The police investigation into the incident continues.