A 58-year-old British tourist has been arrested in Alanya, Turkey, for allegedly spitting on the Turkish flag following an argument with hotel staff. Local media reports indicate the incident occurred near the hotel lobby after the man engaged in a dispute.
Staff reported the incident to the police, who subsequently detained the tourist and took him to the Alanya courthouse. He has been formally arrested on charges of insulting or degrading a symbol of the Turkish state and has been remanded in custody in a local prison.
The exact date of the incident remains unclear. Under Article 300 of the Turkish penal code, publicly disrespecting the Turkish flag is an offense punishable by up to three years in prison. This is not the first instance of foreign tourists facing legal action in Turkey for actions related to national symbols. In August 2025, a criminal investigation was initiated against a foreign tourist for performing a pole dance on a Turkish flagpole in Cappadocia, an act she posted on social media. The outcome of that case was not reported.
The arrested tourist is among recent Britons to face legal issues in Turkey. Earlier this year, a young British couple, Holly Cooper and Taylor Johnson, both 20, were arrested in Istanbul on suspicion of smuggling cannabis. They were apprehended in May upon arrival from Thailand while attempting to catch a connecting flight to London. Their families claim Johnson was assaulted in a holding cell. Following a court hearing, the couple was transferred to jail, where they may await trial for up to a year. They are being represented by public defenders, and friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for their legal defense. Conviction could result in sentences ranging from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 30 years.