Attacked a Christmas tree saying 'This is a Sharia country': The individual was found to have a blood alcohol level of 1.15 promille

The New Year's Market organized by the Odunpazarı Municipality in Eskişehir has come to the fore due to an attack on New Year's decorations and monuments. It was determined that the suspect, Burak Özger, damaged public property in the market area under the influence of alcohol and insulted Atatürk statues.

SUSPECT ARRESTED

The incident took place around 05:45 in the morning at the New Year's event area in Hicri Sezer Park, located in the Paşa neighborhood of the Odunpazarı district.

The suspect, Burak Özger, entered the event area while intoxicated and damaged tables, chairs, and New Year's decorations. It was understood that he then dismantled the lighting of the busts of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü and shouted, "We will tear down all these idols."

Detained by police, Özger was referred to the prosecutor's office after his processing at the Eskişehir Police Department.

Following his interrogation by the prosecutor, the suspect was referred to the Duty Magistrate's Court with a request for his arrest on charges of "publicly insulting the memory of Atatürk," "damaging public property," and "publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility," and was subsequently arrested and sent to the Eskişehir Penal Institution.

STATEMENT FROM THE CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

The Eskişehir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued the following statement regarding the incident:

“It has been determined that the suspect entered the area set up for New Year's events in the Paşa neighborhood of the Odunpazarı district in Eskişehir while intoxicated, and intentionally damaged tables, chairs, and decorative materials; he then went to the busts of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü and shouted, ‘We will tear down all these idols.’ Following his statement taken by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the suspect was referred to the Magistrate's Court with a request for arrest on charges of ‘publicly insulting the memory of Atatürk,’ ‘damaging public property,’ and ‘publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility.’ He was arrested by the court and sent to prison.”

REACTION FROM THE MAYOR

Odunpazarı Mayor Kazım Kurt condemned the attack in a statement he made at the New Year's market after the incident. Mayor Kurt, who made a statement in front of the Atatürk statue together with CHP Eskişehir Provincial Chair Talat Yalaz and deputies Utku Çakırözer and Jale Nur Süllü, said the following:

“The New Year's market we organized as part of the New Year's celebrations brought morale to Eskişehir. However, as always, reactionary, bigoted forces have carried out an attack on this area. We strongly condemn this attack on the Atatürk and İnönü monument. Such combative language is unacceptable. In spite of them, our festivities will continue until 24:00 tonight. I invite all the people of Eskişehir here.”

It was determined that Burak Özger, who was understood to have broken the New Year's decorations by saying "This is a Sharia country" during the incident, had 1.15 promille of alcohol in his system.