A district chairperson of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) came under fire for reportedly throwing a party and firing a gun in the air, in violation of coronavirus restrictions in Turkey.
CHP Karkamış District Chairperson Mehmet Polat apparently threw a party in southeastern Gaziantep province, shortly after Governor Davut Gül announced a series of restrictions on the use of fireworks and firing guns into the air.
Footage of Polat’s party circulated on social media and showed people disregarding social distancing and the use of masks.
Social media users slammed the CHP district chairperson for holding a “coronavirus party.”
Municipal council member Ahmet Idris Inal and CHP district board members can also be seen in the video footage circulating online.
Back in July, Polat came under fire for sharing a video of his grandson shooting a gun into the air.
The CHP has not commented on the incident.
The coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 7,000 lives in Turkey, where around 1,500 cases are reported on a daily basis.
Some Turkish politicians, including lawmakers and party chairpersons, have contracted the coronavirus, despite a series of measures taken in Parliament.
In August, the Interior Ministry ordered a ban on some social activities, including traditional henna nights and engagement ceremonies, in 14 provinces, including the capital Ankara, northwestern Bursa, central Çorum, Kayseri, Konya and Yozgat, southern Adana, southeastern Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Mardin and Şanıurfa and eastern Ağrı, Erzurum and Van.
