A video showing lots of people firing their guns in the air at a park in İstanbul’s Sultangazi district went viral on social media in Turkey. As the vote counting was not completed yet at night on June 24, some pro-government people took to the streets, firing weapons in the air to celebrate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) around the country.
In the video, a man says "This is Habibler Square. There is no concern for weapons; men and women, everyone is armed," as the crowd was shooting their guns amid children without any intervention.
The incident happened after government officials and pro-government figures threatened people with an armed uprising, civil war during the election campaign process.
In an interview with Islamist Akit TV ahead of the elections, pro-government figure Ahmet Maranki threatened people with an armed uprising if the ruling AKP party and its presidential candidate Erdoğan would lose the polls on June 24.
Maranki claimed that they had buried their weapons stash in İstanbul’s Belgrade Forest, adding that they would take to the streets if their expectations failed at the polls.
Statistical data reveals that the rate of individual armament has increased in recent years in Turkey; moreover, on March 14, the Interior Ministry issued a circular letter to allow civilians to possess from 200 to 1000 bullets annually.
Local reports say the authorities launched an investigation after the video record.
