Police raid cockfight arena with grandstands, detain 47

BURSA

The police have busted another cockfight amid the coronavirus pandemic, this one in the northwestern province of Bursa’s Yıldırım district.

Police teams raided the roof of an apartment in Demetevler neighborhood and detained 47 people, six of whom were gamecock owners and the remaining 41 were spectators.

The large roof contained portable grandstands and a makeshift fighting ring where the cockfights took place, along with six cocks in a locked stall.

A total of 205,000 liras ($30,200) administrative fine was imposed on the 47 people for not following social distance rules and illegal gambling.

Orçun Ü., who set up the fighting ring and placed portable grandstands on the roof, was criminally charged with “gambling and providing space and medium for gambling.”

The police confiscated and delivered the roosters to the municipality’s veterinary department, while Nature Protection officials in the city launched an investigation against their owners for “abuse of animals.”

A schedule for normalization has been set in Turkey after two and a half months lockdown process, those who do not follow the social distance rules can face administrative fines.