Police detain Turkish flag-waving motorcyclists in Gümülcine, release them after three hours
Seven Turkish motorcyclists traveling to Türkiye were taken to a police station in Gümülcine following a confrontation reportedly triggered by the display of Turkish flags and the playing of Turkish military music. The group was released approximately three hours later after Greek police found no grounds for criminal proceedings.
Members of the Osmanlı Motorcycle Association had been returning to İstanbul from the Turkish World Congress in Hungary as part of a European tour covering 12 countries. The group stopped in Gümülcine on Friday, August 28, where they performed Friday prayers, visited Gümülcine Mufti İbrahim Şerif and met with members of the local Turkish minority at the Gümülcine Turkish Youth Union.
After expressing their appreciation for the welcome they received, the motorcyclists prepared to leave the city. At that point, they played the Mehter March.
According to the motorcyclists, a Greek citizen approached them in a car and shouted “barbarians” at the group. They said the driver subsequently moved in front of the motorcycles and continued to provoke them.
Footage recorded by cameras mounted on the motorcycles appears to show the driver attempting to block the group's path, followed by a verbal confrontation between the parties.
A few minutes after the incident, plainclothes police officers and special operations units were dispatched to the area. The motorcyclists' passports were confiscated and the group was taken to the Gümülcine Police Directorate for identity and document checks.
Police find no grounds for criminal action
The investigation lasted approximately three hours. According to the motorcyclists, police determined that their travel documents were complete and that they had not committed an act warranting criminal proceedings.
The group said police officials told them that no criminal offense had been identified and reportedly remarked that “there can be racist people everywhere” before releasing them.
Greek police subsequently escorted the motorcyclists toward the Türkiye border. As a result, the group said they left Gümülcine without having the opportunity to meet with any other individuals or institutions in the city.
After crossing into Türkiye, the motorcyclists shared details of the incident and footage recorded during the confrontation with members of the press.
The group said they had traveled through 12 European countries carrying Turkish flags without encountering problems elsewhere.
“We traveled thousands of kilometers with our flags. The only place where this caused discomfort was Greece. We did not engage in any provocation or illegal behavior,” the motorcyclists said.
Türkiye's Consulate General in Gümülcine was also reportedly informed of the incident.
Greek media reports dispute over alleged provocation
Some Greek news websites reported the incident as a “provocation,” alleging that the motorcyclists were carrying Turkish flags, playing music at high volume and making the Grey Wolves hand gesture.
However, the approximately three-hour police investigation did not result in criminal charges, and the group was released without any legal action being taken against them. Greek media reports also acknowledged that the group's documents were in order and that no criminal offense had been established.
Video footage showing the Greek driver's alleged attempts to block the motorcyclists, as well as images of the group waiting outside the police station, provided additional documentation of the incident. The footage has allowed the motorcyclists' account of how the confrontation began to circulate alongside the allegations of “provocation” reported by parts of the Greek media.
The incident in Gümülcine has attracted attention in both Türkiye and Greece, with accounts differing between the Turkish motorcyclists involved and assessments published by parts of the Greek local media.
A video shared on social media by the Greek citizen shows him approaching the motorcyclists and blocking their path. Anti-Turkish comments posted beneath the video have also drawn attention.
