It was just after midnight in Avcılar, on Istanbul's European side, and the café in the Tahtakale neighborhood was doing what cafés do at that hour — a couple of tables still occupied, a barista named S.Y. behind the counter. Two men walked in, clearly intoxicated, and wouldn't leave her alone.
She didn't answer them. Eventually they ordered, said their goodbyes, and walked out. For a moment, that seemed to be the end of it.
They Came Back
They hadn't actually gone far. A third man had been waiting in a car outside the whole time. A little while later, all three came back inside — and this time, the third man, identified in Turkish reports only as A.Ü., walked straight up to the counter and ordered a lemonade.
Then, according to S.Y. and multiple local outlets, he started insulting her. The threats came next. And then he started throwing things.
What the Camera Caught
Security cameras above the counter recorded several minutes of it — trays, electronics, and glassware all going airborne, breaking across the floor as customers scattered and tried to get between him and the counter. One glass shattered, and a piece of it struck S.Y. in the face.
There were pieces of glass in my head. The tray hit my head and arm.
S.Y., barista
The Coworker Who Stood in the Way
A coworker, identified as M.G., physically planted himself in front of the opening behind the counter — the only thing standing between A.Ü. and S.Y. directly. Other customers jumped in too, trying to wrestle bottles and trays out of his hands and get him out of the building.
My friend stopped him. Otherwise he would have come behind the counter and attacked me.
S.Y., barista
By the time it was over, the café's owners were looking at more than 500,000 Turkish lira in damage — smashed espresso equipment, shattered glassware, wrecked electronics. "The harm isn't just material," M.G. said afterward. "We're both psychologically devastated."
What Happens After the Video Ends
S.Y. went to the hospital and came back with an official injury report. She and M.G. both filed complaints with police. Istanbul officers tracked A.Ü. down in Esenyurt, the district next door, and took him into custody.
What happens to him next is still working through the system. Turkish authorities are pursuing the case on allegations that include property damage, threats, and insults, and IF Daily found no report of a conviction or sentencing as of publication. If that changes, it'll be because a court says so — not because a video did.
For now, what's on the record is what the camera captured — the harassment nobody responded to, the man who came back anyway, and the coworker who stood in the doorway so it didn't get any worse than it already had.
