British man arrested in Alanya for spitting at Turkish flag after hotel argument

By Kamuran Samar & Euronews Turkish Published on 10/09/2026 - 9:53 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp A 58-year-old British tourist has been arrested in the resort town of Alanya on Turkey's central Mediterranean coast, accused of spitting on a Turkish flag and charged with insulting a state symbol. Turkish police arrested a British tourist in the southern resort of Alanya for allegedly spitting on the Turkish flag, media reports said Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The 58-year-old tourist argued with staff in a hotel then allegedly turned and spat on a flag hanging in the lobby, DHA and IHA news agencies reported, without specifying when it happened. Staff reported the man to police, who detained him and took him to the Alanya courthouse where he was formally arrested on charges of insulting or degrading a symbol of the Turkish state. He was remanded in custody and taken to a local prison just outside the city. There was no immediate response from the British embassy. Under Article 300 of the Turkish penal code, it is illegal to publicly disrespect the Turkish flag -- an offence that can carry a jail term of up to three years. In August 2025, prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into a tourist from Bosnia and Herzegovina for performing a pole dance on a Turkish flagpole in Cappadocia which she posted on social media. The outcome of the case was not clear. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Tanker captain arrested over cargo ship sinking off Istanbul, prosecutors say Hundreds evacuated as wildfires sweep Turkey's western and southern coasts Iraq eyes supplying Turkey with 1 million oil barrels a day amid Hormuz crisis World News Turkiye (Turkey) Tourists Turkish flag Comments