17 injured at wedding over sharing of gifts between families in Turkey's Zonguldak

An argument between the families of a newlywed couple over which family would keep the gold coins and jewelry pinned on the bride's gown led to the injury of 17 people in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak on Aug. 20.

The incident broke out in the Gökçebey district at around 10 p.m. during the wedding of Merve Ç. and Murat A. which took place at a tea garden.

As the wedding party proceeded and guests were presenting the married couple with gifts, mainly consisting of gold coins and jewelry, an argument between the bride's mother, Ayse Ç., and the groom's family broke out regarding which side would keep the gifts, as sometimes it is custom for parents to temporarily store the valuable presents given in the weddings to make sure that the newlywed's home does not become the target of thieves.

The argument between the two sides turned into a physical fight in a short period of time with relatives becoming involved. The injured were then taken to the Gökçebey State Hospital. But as the relatives of the two families were waiting at the hospital garden for the injured to be discharged, the groups fought tooth and nail once again. This time the police intervened, by firing a gun into the air in an attempt to disperse the angry crowd.

At the end of the day a total of 17 were checked into hospitals across Zonguldak, including the bride's mother, father, and aunt. Additionally, an emergency medical technician working at the Emergency Service Ambulance was also beaten in the fight in his attempt to treat the hurt family members.

None of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.

The police then detained many people involved in the physical fight and took them to the police station for their testimonies. An...