Turkish wedding convoy sued in Belgium for paralyzing one of Europe’s busiest highways

ISTANBUL

A Belgian prosecutor is seeking to seize six cars in a Turkish wedding convoy and has fined the groom for paralyzing one of Europe’s busiest highways, Turkish media reported on June 6. 

According to a report by daily Habertürk, a total of 30 Turks had formed the convoy with their cars on the E17 highway in Belgium for the wedding of a Turkish couple on Feb. 11, 2017.

As later confessed by the participants, “crazy things happened” on the convoy, including reckless driving and occasionally halting the cars on the road to dance to Turkish music traditionally played in weddings.

The convoy “paralyzed” the traffic on the highway, closed the safety lane and many of the “crazy things” were recorded on camera by angry Belgian drivers whose own daily trips were ruined by the wedding.

In the end, 18 of the cars were halted by the police and a legal case was launched.

After more than a year, the prosecutor filed the indictment at a court in Dendermonde on May 24, asking the judge to seize six of the cars, ban 18 drivers from traffic for five years and fine each of them 2,000 euros.

‘Such behavior invites racism’ 

“You can do this at home, but E17 is not a place that you can dance on. Behaviors like yours invite racism,” Judge Peter D’Hondt said after one of the suspects argued in court that “this was a wedding tradition.”

“We are not afraid. I don’t regret it. I can drift again in the next wedding, too,” a 23-year-old suspect, who was identified with the initials A.D., told daily Habertürk.

Although some of his friends like A.D. sound undaunted despite the threat of legal punishment, the groom does not.

“They showed me the video footage in the court and it was clear that two of the cars were absolutely guilty. Although it is our tradition, we should have obeyed the laws of this country. My wedding was ruined. Those who erred should pay the fines,” he reportedly said.