Motor show in Istanbul's historic site causes controversy

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

The Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour is a freestyle motocross tour. DHA photo

Turkish authorities have cancelled the permission to organize Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, which was planned to be held in Istanbul’s historical Yedikule Dungeon on June 16.

Istanbul’s Culture and Tourism Directorate announced the cancellation of the show in order to protect the historical venue. The motor show’s organizer Red Bull confirmed the cancellation yesterday.

“[The] event has been so far organized carefully and professionally at historic places such as the Pyramids, Moscow’s Red Square and Plaza De Les Terros,” read a written statement by Red Bull. “There are efforts to carry the event to another location to be held on the same day.”

The information on the new venue for the motor show will be made available today, added the written statement.

Culture and Tourism Provincial Manager Ahmet Emre Bilgili said the Protection Committee for Cultural Artifacts’s resolution had forbidden the use of the Yedikule Dungeon and that the company behind the show had failed to obtain the necessary permit for the event.

“The resolution of the committee is certain and this dungeon is very important for us,” Bilgili told the Hürriyet Daily News over the phone yesterday.