The Durrës police have arrested a 48-year-old man after forcibly removing the Turkish flag from an observation tower in Lalzi Bay. The images were published by him on social networks, while causing many reactions. A few hours later, the police officers identified the person in question, residing in the village of Mazrek, Tirana, where they arrested him.
The footage was filmed by another person with a phone, where the 48-year-old can be seen who climbed the observation tower where there are the flags of Albania, Kosovo, and Turkey, while he plucked the flag of Turkey. After throwing it on the ground, he picks it up again by throwing it into the sea. In the first moments, this person was declared wanted for concealing the event, but then it was confirmed that he was the one who carried out the action.
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| The moment when the 48-year-old removes the Turkish flag from the observation tower in Durrës |
In an announcement made by the police, the person already in handcuffs has committed criminal offenses of inciting hatred or strife as well as disturbing public order and peace. He is currently being interrogated, while the video has been widely distributed on social networks. Such actions are often punished by the authorities, by fining the persons responsible.
Meanwhile, about 3 hours after this action, another flag was forcibly thrown by another citizen, who is not afraid of arrest, "Mandi", at another watchtower at the beach "Gjiri i Lalezit." The video was made by other beachgoers who encouraged and praised Mandi: "Well done Scanderbeg (Mandi)..., there is no place for the Turkish flag here..." are some of the comments.
Meanwhile, we do not have a rational or official explanation as to why the Turkish flag should stand next to the Albanian and Kosovar flags on an observation tower, which actually belongs to the local government in terms of administration.
However, we can say that the Albanian people and the Turkish people have a series of historical and economic ties, this is mainly due to the nearly 500-year occupation of the Ottoman Empire.