Turkish police arrested a British tourist near the southern resort of Antalya for allegedly spitting on the Turkish flag, media reports said Wednesday. The 58-year-old tourist argued with staff in a hotel then allegedly turned and spat on a flag hanging in the lobby, DHA and IHA news agencies reported, without saying exactly when it happened. The incident occurred in Alanya, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) east of Antalya. Staff reported the man to police, who detained him and took him to the Alanya courthouse where he was formally arrested on charges of insulting or degrading a symbol of the Turkish state. He was remanded in custody and taken to a local prison just outside the city. There was no immediate response from the British embassy. Under Article 300 of the Turkish penal code, it is illegal to publicly disrespect the Turkish flag -- an offence that can carry a jail term of up to three years. In August 2025, prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into a foreign tourist for performing a pole dance on a Turkish flagpole in Cappadocia which she posted on social media. The outcome of the case was not clear.
