[96915] Unusual incident in Antalya: A woman suffered verbal harassment due to her religious attire

An incident of religious intolerance in Antalya

During June 23, 2026, an incident of verbal harassment was documented in a supermarket in Antalya, Turkey, which is sparking a widespread public debate regarding freedom of religion and dress in the country. According to reports in local news channels, a woman wearing a hijab was verbally attacked by a man who approached her with intrusive questions regarding her choice of clothing.

The gdh channel reports that the man criticized the woman for the color of her clothing and her level of modesty, while aggressively asking: "Do you not sweat inside that black? Which order (tariqat) do you belong to?". The dialogue was documented on camera and circulated on social media.

Reports in the Turkish media were extensive: A Haber channel, known for its conservative line and affiliation with the government, defined the attacker as someone who "does not understand Islam" and claimed that this was a case of "intolerance towards freedom of religion and dress". Additionally, A Haber chose to link the event to historical political tension, describing the attacker's behavior as reminiscent of the "February 28 mentality" (the period when strict restrictions on religious attire were imposed in Turkey).

The event also received significant exposure among technical news channels such as Son Dakika Haberler and Daily Islamist, with the latter emphasizing the disturbing nature of the interaction and the fact that the woman was forced to reply to the attacker that it is "Islam and not any order". In total, tens of thousands of views were recorded on reports of the incident within less than a day, which testifies to the high sensitivity of Turkish society regarding these issues.