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A 30-year-old Pakistani national was detained on Friday after climbing onto his vehicle with a gun and Turkish and Pakistani flags on Istanbul's July 15 Martyrs Bridge, prompting a major police response and disrupting traffic across the Bosphorus before officers persuaded him to come down.
The incident took place at around 10:20 a.m. on Nov. 13, when the man stopped his car in the left lane of the bridge, which connects Istanbul's European and Asian sides, and climbed onto its roof.
He was seen holding Turkish and Pakistani flags in one hand and what appeared to be a handgun in the other, while an Israeli flag lay beneath his feet. The man also shouted slogans apparently directed against Israel.
Police and special operations units were dispatched to the bridge after motorists reported the incident, while authorities introduced traffic restrictions as a precaution.
The disruption initially brought traffic to a standstill, with vehicles subsequently redirected through the dedicated Metrobus corridor, normally used by Istanbul's bus rapid transit system.
Officers established a security perimeter and began negotiating with the man, who remained on top of his vehicle as police attempted to bring the situation under control.
After approximately 90 minutes of negotiations, officers persuaded the suspect to surrender the weapon and climb down from the vehicle. He was subsequently taken into custody.
The man's car was removed from the bridge, allowing authorities to reopen the road to traffic. Footage from the scene showed the police operation and the disruption caused by the incident.
The suspect was identified in subsequent reports as a 30-year-old Pakistani national, with Turkish media reporting that he had previously made two suicide attempts.
A photograph circulated after the incident also showed a handwritten note reportedly recovered from the suspect. The visible portion of the note referred to a psychological health report and medication, although its full contents and significance have not been independently established.
The incident, initially treated as an armed protest against Israel, was also described by Turkish news agency Demiroren News Agency as a suicide attempt.
Authorities have not publicly clarified whether the weapon was a functioning firearm or provided a detailed account of the circumstances behind the man's actions.
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