Arson attack on Turkish arts centre

An unidentified assailant set fire to an arts centre, and its founder, a prominent critic of the Turkish government, said he suspected a political motive for the attack
Tuesday, 21 February 2017 01:16

An arts centre in Kadıköy district of İstanbul founded by Müjdat Gezen, a famous Turkish actor known for his anti-government stance, was set on fire on February 20. 

The CCTV footage shows a man shortly after midnight approaching the premises with a gasoline can and setting on fire the entrance of the Müjdat Gezen Arts Centre. This was followed by a bright flash and fire.

The assailant has been unidentified yet. Müjdat Gezen said he suspected a political motive for the attack and described it as a terrorist crime.

“Anti-terror police investigated the footage. This is a terror crime,” Gezen told journalists, adding that the centre was “the world’s first and only free of charge private school.” 

"Our guard heard an explosion ... and ran outside. There is some damage to the front of the building, but nothing serious, we can fix it," Müjdat Gezen said. Gezen also slammed pro-government, Islamist, Yeni Akit newspaper for targeting him.

The reactionary newspaper Yeni Akit run a scandalous headline after the incident, which read "Great shock to Müjdat, the p.mp!". It has received harsh criticisms over social media. 

Yeni Akit TV had targeted Müjdat Gezen and his arts centre a week before the attack on a television program, assaulting Müjdat Gezen with derogatory statements. 

“I asked for protection two or three years ago when they did the same thing. The police did not provide me with any. After the latest article by Yeni Akit, I received a phone call from the police, asking me if I wanted protection. I accepted the offer for the academy and my house,” he said. 

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY FROM NAZIM HIKMET CULTURAL CENTRE 

Nazım Hikmet Cultural Centre (NHKM) released a statement denouncing the attack and expressing solidarity. The assailant of Müjdat Gezen arts centre is the ruling class itself with its reactionary mentality, said the statement, emphasising that it will be the working class and the progressive artists to eradicate it. 

The statement called on the people to organise against reactionism.