“If you take me inside, there will be blood: Man threatens Turkish Cypriot police with violence

A man who threatened a police officer with violence in north Cyprus was arrested and released on bail.

The suspect, Ali Ocak, a Turkish Cypriot resident in Famagusta was brought before the Lefkosia district court on Saturday on charges of  “Threat of Using Violence, Assaulting a Police Officer and prevent a police officer from his Duty, Disturbance, and Inappropriate Behavior”.

Police said the incident happened at around 12;10pm on Friday August 2, 2024 in front of the Criminal Cases Hall of the Lefkosia District Court, a public place in Lefkosia, during a remand hearing.

The suspect who was told that he could not enter the courtroom because the courtroom was full, held the collar of the police vest the officer was wearing with his right hand, shook it and said “you cannot touch my shoulder” without a reasonable excuse. He then assaulted the officer and prevented him from carrying out his duties.

Police said he acted inappropriately waving his right index finger randomly and said “If you touch me again, I will turn this courthouse into a bloodbath”. He went further to threaten the Police Sergeant who arrested him with violence saying “If you take me inside, there will be blood”.

Police said an investigation was launched after the suspect was arrested and that he gave a voluntary statement.

The police requested that the investigation be completed and that the suspect be given a bail that the court deems appropriate in order to be present at his trial.

The judge released the suspect on bail on the condition that he is banned from travelling abroad, appears at the nearest police station once a week in person, deposits a cash guarantee of 20,000 TL and that two reliable guarantors who are TRNC citizens sign a surety bond worth 250,000 TL.