Man detained after attacking Atatürk statue with hammer in Turkey's southeast

Police detained a man on Aug. 19 after he attacked a statue of Atatürk in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, Doğan News Agency has reported. The 30-year-old man identified as İbrahim Yeşil climbed to the pedestal of the statue in the Şeyh Said Square at 2.30 p.m. and began to pound it with a hammer. His motive was not clear. Police immediately intervened the man and took him to police headquarters. According to initial examinations, the chest and arm parts of the statue was damaged by the hammer blow.