My father saved this place, no one can take me off the plane: Drunk tourist arrested after assaulting police at Ercan airport in north Cyprus says

A Turkish tourist was arrested at Ercan Airport in the early hours of Thursday after attacking a police officer and two airport staff members while under the influence of alcohol.

The suspect, identified as Emre Çamlar, was brought before the Lefkoşa District Court, where Judge Şevket Gazi ordered him to remain in custody for one day pending further investigation.

According to police testimony, the incident occurred at around 05:00 on 21 August 2025 at departure gate 106. Çamlar, who was found to have 71 milligrams of alcohol in his system, allegedly refused to hand over the keys of a rented car, registered under his friend’s name, when approached by police.

Police officer Abdülkerim Yaşar told the court that Çamlar then grabbed an officer by the throat, struck a security guard on the shoulder, and pushed a passenger services employee. Despite attempts to restrain him, the suspect allegedly shouted:
“I am a veteran’s son, my father saved this place. Nobody can take me off the plane.”

The court also heard that the rented car had been damaged, prompting investigators to review security camera footage from its route to determine whether it was involved in an accident. Statements from witnesses at the airport are also being collected.

Police confirmed that Çamlar had arrived in the country for a seven-day holiday. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.