Besiktas council meeting canceled after former president physically attacked
Former Besiktas president Hasan Arat speaks during the club’s 2025 first regular high council meeting at ICEC Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar Congress and Exhibition Center as chaos erupts during his speech, Istanbul, Turkiye, April 12, 2025. (AA Photo)
Besiktas’ 2025 First Ordinary Council Board meeting was abruptly canceled on Saturday following a heated altercation during which former club president Hasan Arat was physically assaulted.
The meeting took place at the ICEC Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Center. Arat had taken the stage to deliver a speech when tensions began to rise between him and Council Board Chair Tevfik Yamanturk.
The disagreement quickly escalated, and two individuals came onto the stage and physically attacked Arat.
Security personnel intervened immediately, preventing the situation from escalating further. Following the incident, the Council Board meeting was called off and postponed to a later date.
Arat’s speech sparked heated reactions
Tensions reportedly began to build even before Arat took the podium, as this marked his first public address in months. During his speech, members of the general assembly began voicing objections. When Yamanturk attempted to pause the session, Arat refused, stating he would not continue his remarks if the meeting was interrupted.
The situation reached a boiling point when Yamanturk stood up and engaged in a verbal exchange with Arat. The argument quickly turned physical when a young man approached the stage and punched Arat.
Club member condemns the incident
Besiktas congress member Bulent Uslu, speaking on TGRT Haber, condemned the incident
As soon as Hasan Arat began his speech, tensions began to rise. Since he wasn’t subject to the 10-minute time limit given to other members, his remarks continued uninterrupted. Verbal attacks increased, and eventually the situation escalated. I deeply regret what happened. That punch should never have been thrown. After this, the Council Board meeting could not go on. A former president of Besiktas was assaulted—this is unacceptable. Everyone knew tensions were high, but no one expected things to go this far. It’s a shameful moment for all of us.
Bulent Uslu
As of now, Besiktas has not released an official statement about the incident or the rescheduled date for the meeting.
