Istanbul Chinese restaurant attacked in protest at Uighur suppression

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

A Chinese restaurant in Istanbul, owned by a Turkish citizen who employed a Uighur cook, was attacked on July 1 by a group protesting China’s suppression of Uighur Turks living in East Turkestan.

The group walked away from the scene after breaking the windows of the restaurant, Happy China, which was opened six months ago by Cihan Yavuz in the Boğazkesen Street of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district.

Yavuz said the attack was baseless considering he was a Turk and the restaurant’s chef was an Uighur Turk. Six attackers told them to leave the neighborhood by shouting, “We do not want a Chinese restaurant here,” Yavuz added.

“We oppose the incidents in East Turkestan and the cruelty against Uighur Turks. We are Turks. Our chef is also a Uighur Turk. We are trying to make a living here,” Yavuz added.

He also said he would now close the restaurant, which he had opened with money he had saved working as a tour guide for 25 years.

“Our customers are Indonesian Muslims in general. We work with Far East Asian people. Only a tiny portion of our customers are made up of Chinese customers. We do not serve alcoholic drinks. Although we work with Muslims, an attack like this has occurred,” Yavuz said.