Visitors of an art gallery in the Istanbul district of Tohane were attacked during an opening ceremony on Tuesday night (21 September). It was said that the visitors were assaulted because "they drank alcoholic beverages on the street" in front of the gallery. Other sources claimed that the scuffle occurred because of "music played with high volume".

A group of about 20 people broke the windows of the Outlet Art Gallery and the Pi Art Gallery at around 9.00 pm on Tuesday night. A third gallery was also damaged. The group harassed the visitors of the galleries and used pepper spray.

Five people injured

The police intervened against the attackers and brought the group under their control. Five people were wounded in the assault and taken to the Taksim Training and Research Hospital. The injured were discharged from hospital after the medical treatment. Faculty member Nazım Dikbaş and Şevket Kaan were among the people wounded in the incident.

Nazılm Dikbaş claimed that the attack was not the result of a heated discussion but "an organized and direct attack". He called all eye witnesses to make their statement at the Beyoğlu Police Station to prevent such an assault from happening again.

"Incident can develop into threat for social and cultural life"

In a press conference held on Wednesday (22 September), Dikbaş said: "We believe that this kind of attacks can be stopped with a sensitive approach of the police and the political parties. Otherwise, this sort of incidents can assume serious proportions and develop into a threat of social and cultural life in our city".

Dikbaş said that the attack was not a single incident. Reading out a joint press release he continued: "For some time he have been witnessing a group of people carrying out violent actions against art galleries, hindering their work and disturbing opening ceremonies. Our galleries, the artists and he visitors have been harassed and threatened several times. We know that these actions were carried out by a group of people who make use out of locations in the region and who get organized via the internet".

Dikbaş stated that the attack was a serious warning for all arts institutions. He demanded a thorough investigation of the incident and legal procedures against the perpetrators.

The press conference was held by five representatives of a total of seven galleries included in the Tophane Art Works group: Yeşim Turanlı from Pi Art Work, Derya Deniz from Gallery Non, Azra Tüzünoğlu from the Outlet Gallery, Sinem Yörük from the Elipsis Gallery, Silvia Kovluali from the Rodeo Gallery.

Seven people detained

The Deputy Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, Hüseyin Çelik, crirticized the incident: "Nobody can devise the law according to his own purpose in a state of law".

Seven people were detained and relaesed on Wednesday at 19.30.

The Governor of Istanbul, Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, argued: "Nobody's business should be attacked like that; this is unacceptable".

Mutlu stressed that he did not intend to impute the incident on the people living in the Boğazkesen neighbourhood, a place where a number of art galleries opened in recent times. "The residents do not accept this either. [...] We will take the statements of the detainees and it will become very clear who was behind the attack, how the group came together and what their intentions were. We will openly share all information with you and every endeavour will be made for transparency. Right now it is still early". (EÖ/VK)