German tourist is stabbed in downtown Istanbul

ExpatJul 21st, 2009 - 12:50:22

The video showed that nobody helped. I have found there is quite a lot of contempt for foreigners there, where they are becoming used to them. They see foreigners as walking wads of cash and opportunities for practising English. Nothing more. If you offer neither, the contempt shows through. This incident could have happened anywhere, and similar things do happen, all over the world, every day. But you have to understand the perceptions about this. There will be no apologies. No sense of shame for this tragic crime.

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Another Expat in IstanbulJul 24th, 2009 - 00:21:07

Actually, the video shows that several people come to help. You can watch the whole thing at the Vatan Newspapers video feed. You will notice that the attacker is pushed off of the victim by a Turkish person, and that five people then come to the aid of the victim. Perhaps these good Samaritans did not get involved sooner, because they were reluctant to get stabbed themselves? Taksim is a place where it is not uncommon to see fights in the street. Additionally, Turkey is not a country where most people have a basic knowledge of first aid. I imagine it took a few moments for people to realize what condition the victim was in, and even then, I doubt they knew what to do. They do however, contrary to your theory of Turkish xenophobia, intervene to help.

Posting the link is forbidden, so if you want to watch, and judge for yourselves, do an easy Google search for: 'alman turist öldüruldu video'.

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NickJul 27th, 2009 - 22:08:14

Found the comments of 'EXPAT' interesting. I just got back from Turkey, and found them to be the friendliest most helpful people of any place I have been on this planet thus far; and I must say I have been to quite a few places. Did anyone else hear the 'tourist' in this case turned out to be an escaped German convict; crazy twist huh?

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