The forceful intervention by the New York police against a photo journalist from Anadolu Agency has sparked condemnation from Fahrettin Altun, the Presidency's Head of Communications, and Ömer Çelik, the spokesperson for Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party.
Photojournalist Fatih Aktaş was in Brooklyn on May 31 to report on a protest denouncing Israeli actions and expressing solidarity with Palestine. According to the journalist, a police officer dispelling the demonstrators pushed him forcefully, causing him to fall onto his back and sustain abrasions on his elbows.
Çelik shared a post on the X social media platform, saying, "We condemn the police brutality against Fatih Aktaş, an Anadolu Agency photo journalist, while reporting the demonstrations in support of Palestine in New York City. We take great pride in the fact that the Anadolu Agency is dedicated to reporting on the concerns of the public regarding the oppressed Palestinian people."
Expressing his condemnation of the physical assault on Aktaş, Altun said, "The freedom of the press is the fundamental pillar of democracy. We will continue to side with all truthful journalists who stand up against injustice."