AKP council member assails journalist at İstanbul Municipal Council meeting

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During a meeting of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, held for the first time since the presidential runoff election on Sunday, a council member from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) physically attacked a journalist.

At the opening of the session, Zeynel Abidin Okul, the 1st deputy president of the council, congratulated Erdoğan on his re-election as president. AKP council members stood up and applauded, chanting slogans in support of Erdoğan.

According to a report in Birgün, tensions escalated when AKP members left the council chamber while Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Group Leader Tarık Balyalı was speaking. An argument ensued outside the chamber between Uğur Korkmaz, an AKP council member who had left the session, and an unidentified civilian who claimed to have been verbally insulted.

During the altercation, Ali Macit, a reporter for the Medyascope news portal, was assaulted by Korkmaz and prevented from continuing his recording. (HA/VK)