Istanbul Municipality releases footage of pro-gov’t TV channel sabotaging metro stations

Duvar English

After numerous pro-government media outlets reported malfunctioning escalators in Istanbul’s metro stations and claimed that the municipality do not operate functionally, the province’s Metropolitan Municipality on Sep. 12 released the footage of a pro-government reporter sabotaging the metro station.

In the video, some people stopped the escalators by pressing the emergency button, and immediately afterwards, pro-government TV channel A Haber team came and filmed the situation.

The municipality’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) account stated, "Watch how sabotage, conspiracy, and fake news are made in Istanbul's metro stations.”

“Coming to Altunizade metro station, four young people went down the escalator which was running. While going up in the same direction, they pressed the emergency button and stopped the stairs. Coincidentally, A Haber reporters were there where they headed up,” the municipality stated in the video.

The reporter also conducted interviews with the passengers to demonstrate their "misery."

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on Sep. 11 made a statement about the sabotage acts that were filmed in the metro stations, "We are carrying out our legal procedures regarding the people who make such practices. All these investments are the nation's investments. It belongs to all Istanbulites.” 

As the 2024 Local Election approaches, the pro-government media began to especially attack Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu who won the elections in Istanbul in 2019 elections after decades of administration under Islamists.

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