Police Stop Istanbul Municipal Officers from Handing Out Carnations on İstiklal Street During 200th Anniversary

A police commissioner stopped Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s municipal police leaders from distributing carnations on İstiklal Street after an official ceremony marking the force’s 200th anniversary.

Municipal police chief Metin Alper, his deputies Nazan Başalle and Hakan Aplak, and other officials had attended a ceremony at Taksim Republic Monument in uniform. After laying a wreath, the group sought to walk toward İstiklal Street and greet shopkeepers and residents.

The commissioner told them they could not pass, citing a decision by the district governorate. Alper challenged the intervention, asking, “As a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye, can I not walk on İstiklal Street?” He also questioned whether the municipal police could not conduct inspections in uniform within their area of responsibility.

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As a citizen of the Republic of Türkiye, can I not walk on İstiklal Street?

The officials repeated that the ceremony had ended and that they wanted to walk as ordinary citizens. Alper then told the officer, “My esteemed colleague, the ceremony is over. I want to walk now,” before entering İstiklal Street with the group.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s municipal police department said about 10 uniformed personnel had planned to greet businesses and residents and hand out carnations. It said security personnel stopped them at the entrance despite the group being in uniform and within its work area, preventing the planned activity from continuing.

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My esteemed colleague, the ceremony is over. I want to walk now.