The German and the Dutch consulates in Istanbul have decided to stay shut on Wednesday due to what they described as “security threats.”
“The German Consulate General is closed today Feb. 1, for security reasons. Appointments for visa and passport matters are canceled. Thank you for your understanding,” the consulate announced via Instagram early in the morning.
The Dutch Consulate General in the Beyoğlu district also announced its closure for visitors on Wednesday due to “potential protests” and “increasing threat against western targets.”
The United Kingdom, in the meantime, has renewed its travel advisory to its citizens in Türkiye, joining the United States and several other European countries warning their citizens over security threats.
Their warnings follow protests over two cases of Quran burning by far-right politicians in Sweden and Denmark last week which drew global backlash and condemnations from the Arab and Muslim world, with leaders and officials slamming Swedish and Danish authorities for allowing such public display of Islamophobia.
Protests erupted worldwide and in Türkiye where crowds gathered before Sweden’s consulate general in Istanbul to denounce the desecration of the Quran.
Last Saturday, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish foreign ministries issued a travel advisory, calling on their citizens to avoid large gatherings in Türkiye amid ongoing tensions. On Friday, several embassies in Ankara including those of the U.S., Germany, France and Italy on Friday released security alerts for their citizens in Türkiye that flagged "possible retaliatory attacks by terrorists against places of worship."
In response, Türkiye issued its travel warning for Turkish nationals visiting European countries, urging caution against “the dangerous surge in anti-Muslim, xenophobic and racist acts,” including anti-Türkiye propaganda by supporters of the PKK terrorist group.
“The developments reflect the worrying level of racist and discriminatory rhetoric in Europe and said Turkish citizens planning to visit countries where such demonstrations occur should be cautious and refrain from visiting areas with large crowds that support the ideologies mentioned above,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It also suggested that Turkish citizens stay calm if they experience such hostility in European countries and contact local security forces or the ministry, embassies, and consulates.
The travel warning was issued in retaliation to weeks of anti-Türkiye and anti-Muslim demonstrations in Europe, mainly in Sweden, as Turkish officials criticized Swedish authorities for failing to take action against terrorist sympathizers and far-right figures who desecrated the Quran.
Sweden's bid for NATO membership is facing a dead end as ties strained over the past two weeks due to anti-Türkiye propaganda in the country, which recently peaked with Quran burning by Rasmus Paludan.
