Eight people have been detained and four employees of Turkish cosmetics chain Gratis have been fired over a video allegedly mocking police responding to a shooting near the Israeli Consulate General in İstanbul on Tuesday, the Diken news website reported.
The incident occurred around midday in İstanbul’s Beşiktaş district, where a gunfight broke out outside a building housing the consulate. One attacker was killed, two others were captured with injuries and two police officers were slightly wounded.
A video circulated on social media captured the voices of individuals laughing and making remarks about police officers as they were responding to the incident, though the speakers themselves are not visible in the footage.
İstanbul Beşiktaş’taki saldırıya müdahale için olay yerine giden polisleri kayda alıp maç izler gibi yorumlayan kişiler, sosyal medyada büyük tepki topladı. pic.twitter.com/1IKIzPU7Wy
— Asayiş Berkemal (@asayisberkemal0) April 7, 2026
In the footage a person can be heard referring to officers using football positions, saying, “You’re right back, you’re left back,” as police moved to confront the attackers.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the video on charges of “publicly insulting the state’s security forces” and “inciting hatred and hostility among the public.” Eight people have been detained in connection with the probe.
Gratis said an internal review found that the video had been recorded by its employees and included statements “incompatible with the company’s values.”
— gratistr (@GratisTr) April 8, 2026
The company said it had terminated four employees directly involved in the recording and dissemination of its content, while others deemed indirectly involved had been suspended pending further legal review.
Gratis said it does not tolerate any behavior that supports violence or undermines public order and expressed support for Turkish law enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing.