08.04.2026 16:22
Eight people were detained after an investigation was launched against them for 'Publicly Insulting the State's Security Organization' and 'Inciting or Insulting the Public to Hatred and Hostility' for using mocking expressions while filming police intervention during the conflict in front of the Israeli Consulate and sharing the footage on social media.
Those identified as using mocking expressions towards the Turkish Police Organization in a video shared on social media platforms regarding the terrorist attack on the police station in front of Yapı Kredi Plaza in Beşiktaş were apprehended.
8 PEOPLE IN CUSTODY
Teams from the Istanbul Police Department initiated work to identify the individuals using mocking expressions as part of the investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The police detained 8 suspects. The detained individuals were taken to the police station for processing.
STATEMENT FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
In a statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was reported that the Press Crimes Investigation Bureau determined that during the terrorist attack carried out in front of the Israeli Consulate in Beşiktaş yesterday, individuals present at the scene used derogatory and mocking expressions towards the Turkish Police Organization, which is tasked with ensuring state security, maintaining public order, and safeguarding the safety of citizens.
“THEY BELITTLED BY SAYING 'YOU'RE A RIGHT BACK, I'M A LEFT BACK'”
The statement indicated that the individuals in question addressed the Turkish police intervening in the terrorist attack with phrases like "You're a right back, I'm a left back," thereby belittling the seriousness of the law enforcement officers performing their duties and attempting to discredit them in the eyes of the public.
It was emphasized in the statement that the use of such expressions against law enforcement officers who risk their lives while performing their duties during an active security threat is deeply wounding to public conscience, and that these types of expressions directed at the Turkish Police Organization, which is the guarantee of the state's peace and security, cannot be regarded merely as individual disrespect, but also possess the potential to disrupt public order by insulting a significant segment of society.
The statement included the following remarks:
"In this context, the actions of the suspects are evaluated as falling under the crime of 'publicly degrading the state's security organization' as regulated in Article 301/2 of the Turkish Penal Code and the crime of 'inciting or degrading the public to hatred and hostility' as regulated in Article 216/1 of the Turkish Penal Code. An investigation has been initiated ex officio by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects connected to the incident are being carried out meticulously. Our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office will continue to carry out all necessary judicial actions decisively and meticulously in the face of such degrading and public order-disrupting actions against the Turkish Police Organization, which performs a fundamental duty in maintaining public order, one of the most basic institutions of our state."
In the statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated, "Our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, through the Press Crimes Investigation Bureau, has determined that during the terrorist attack carried out on 07/04/2026 in front of the Israeli Consulate in Beşiktaş, expressions of derogatory and mocking nature were used by individuals present at the scene towards the Turkish Police Organization, which is tasked with ensuring the security of our state, maintaining public order, and safeguarding the safety of our citizens. It has been understood that the individuals in question used phrases like 'You're a right back, I'm a left back' towards the Turkish police intervening in the terrorist attack, thereby belittling the seriousness of the law enforcement officers performing their duties and attempting to discredit them in the eyes of the public. The use of such expressions against law enforcement officers who risk their lives while performing their duties during an active security threat is of a nature that deeply wounds public conscience. It has been assessed that these types of expressions directed at the Turkish Police Organization, which is the guarantee of the state's peace and security, cannot be regarded merely as individual disrespect, but also possess the potential to disrupt public order by insulting a significant segment of society. In this context, the actions of the suspects are evaluated as falling under the crime of 'publicly degrading the state's security organization' as regulated in Article 301/2 of the Turkish Penal Code and the crime of 'inciting or degrading the public to hatred and hostility' as regulated in Article 216/1 of the Turkish Penal Code. An investigation has been initiated ex officio by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects connected to the incident are being carried out meticulously. Our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office will continue to carry out all necessary judicial actions decisively and meticulously in the face of such degrading and public order-disrupting actions against the Turkish Police Organization, which performs a fundamental duty in maintaining public order. Respectfully announced to the public."
##19729143##