A group chanting “Allahu akbar” attacked an anime and Japanese culture festival in İstanbul’s Ümraniye district yesterday, damaging stands and equipment before police intervened.
KonohaFest, held on Oct 3-4, drew participants including children and families. Organizers ended the festival early after the incident.
Police removed the group from the area after intervening in the attack.
'Family and population decade'
The festival had been targeted on social media before the event. Posters carrying the name “Ümraniye NGO Platform” called on families to join a gathering demanding that the event be stopped.
“We will not remain silent! We invite all families to our press statement to stop this activity, which sets a bad example for the future of our children and our values,” the posters said.
The group gathered near the festival area to read out a statement, which referred to the “Family and Population Decade” initiative announced by the government.
It also expressed support for the “My Family Is Safe” operations conducted in 15 provinces in September, targeting LGBTI+ groups.
The group claimed the festival’s costumed performances and the lifestyle it represented were “contrary to society’s family structure and national and spiritual values.”
The statement further claimed that the festival distanced children and young people from their own culture and led them into “identity confusion.” It called on local governments and public institutions to stop the event and prevent it from being held again.
Banners carried by the group included slogans reading, “If You’re Looking for a Role Model, Look to Your History,” “Our Hero Is Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror,” “No to Exhibitionism, Yes to Decency” and “We Will Not Surrender Our Youth to Imitation.”
After concluding their statement, the crowd moved toward the festival area, chanting “Allahu akbar.”
Police intervened and removed them after they damaged the equipment in the area.
KonohaFest brought together anime, manga and Japanese culture enthusiasts in Turkey. Its name comes from Konoha, or Hidden Leaf Village, in the anime series Naruto.
The festival included costume competitions featuring anime, manga and video game characters, as well as sushi-eating contests, Japanese food stands, anime-themed merchandise, concerts and quizzes. (EMK/VK)
