A record shop run by a South Korean in Istanbul was attacked by some Turkish citizens who harbored resentment against it for serving alcohol during the Ramadan fast period, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday.
The incident took place at around 9 p.m. on Friday, Istanbul time, as fans of British rock band Radiohead gathered at the Velvet Indieground store to celebrate the band’s new album.
“During the event, an unidentified number of Turkish people spotted patrons drinking alcohol inside, broke into the shop, destroyed supplies and beat customers,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the owner suffered “indirect damage” from the assault.
A video clip shows the inside of a South Korean store in Istanbul before the assault on Saturday. YouTube
During the holy month, Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink or smoke from sunrise to sunset.
A video clip posted on YouTube on Saturday showed the store owner and other visitors chatting and drinking beer while listening to the band’s music. A group of young local men outside began shouting, prompting the store’s staff to rush to close the door.
However, the men barged into the store, hurling a chair, cups and other items, hitting people, including the owner, and hustling them outside.
According to local media, the store was vandalized and customers were beaten with pipes, sticks and beer bottles, however, no one was seriously injured.
Yonhap News Agency reported that the mob consisted of as many as 20 people who threatened to set the structure on fire, saying, “Shame on you, during Ramadan!”
It added that the Turkish police have launched a probe and called in the owner surnamed Lee to hear his account, citing members of an association of Korean residents in the largely Muslim nation.
On Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Istanbul in protest against the incident, but police dispersed them using water cannons and tear gas after skirmishes broke out, according to the Associated Press, BBC and other news outlets.
Radiohead, which held a worldwide streaming event with participating record stores for its latest release, “A Moon Shaped Pool,” condemned the attack as “acts of violent intolerance.”
“Our hearts go out to those attacked tonight at Velvet IndieGround in Istanbul. We hope that someday we will be able to look back on such acts of violent intolerance as things of the ancient past. For now, we can only offer our fans in Istanbul our love and support,” the band said in a statement.
Despite concerns over Korean-targeted hostility, Seoul officials did not see the incident as tightly choreographed, though they raised the need for caution.
“While keeping in touch with our citizen who sustained damage to offer consular assistance and respond to the case, we plan to request Korean businesses in Istanbul to look after their safety during Ramadan, and law enforcement authorities there to pay special attention to protect our citizens,” the ministry added.
By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)
