Thursday 25 April 2013

Ali Riza Ersoy could face three months in jail for disturbing Gallipoli Anzac dawn service

Ali Risa Ersoy Gallipoli protestA 65-YEAR-OLD man who disrupted the dawn service at Anzac Cove could be jailed for three months in Turkey.
Ali Riza Ersoy started yelling as Australian Veterans Affairs' Minister Warren Snowdon concluded his speech to 5200 pilgrims who'd gathered at Gallipoli to pay their respects to the war dead.

He was subsequently detained by the Turkish Gendarmerie and removed from the peninsula in an unmarked car.

Turkish court interpreter Celal Boz says there is always a penalty for creating such a disturbance.

"He was pleading for help, it doesn't sound threatening," Mr Boz said.

"But he did cut the speech, that's a penalty, so he'll probably get three months in jail for disturbing the peace.

"He'll have his court day but he's probably in jail now."

Mr Ersoy, a dual Turkish-Australian national who used to live in Sydney, spoke in English first and then in Turkish.

Online Turkish news website Posta reports Mr Ersoy wanted to read some files he was holding in his hand.

"Mr Minister," the protester yelled according to the outlet.

"The NSW government is trying to hide scandals and gangs through a cover-up.

"I am being threatened by an officer of the NSW police force."

The man had was yelling: "The Australian police are trying to kill me."

The protester said he was forced to leave Australia along with his family but needed to go back to fight discrimination. He demanded protection for his life.

Online news site Mynet Haber reported Mr Ersoy was 65 and had previously lived in Australia for 35 years.

A veterans affairs' spokeswoman said the incident didn't detract from the significance of the dawn service.

"This was an isolated incident by a lone protester that was dealt with accordingly by the appropriate authorities - the Turkish police," she said in a statement.

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