A tourist group of about 50 people set off from Duhok, an Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government city, arrived in Uzungöl on Thursday as part of their trip, a tourist destination in the Çaykara District of Trabzon province.

A total of 9 people, 5 male, and 4 girls, stood in front of the Uzungöl sign and asked to be photographed by opening the scarf symbolizing the flag of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government.

Meanwhile, Kurdistani tourists were racially attacked and attempted lynching then were detained by Turkish police at the scene. The rest of the group were deported under security measures.

Trabzon Governor's Office issued a statement after the incident and described the attack as a "public reaction".

Following the racist attack, some social media users posted their support to the attackers, while many social media users, with common sense, revealed their reaction against the attack.

Politicians, jurists, and journalists were also among those who posted their anger against the racist attack.

AK Party MP Mustafa Yeneroğlu: Lynching attempt is horrific!

AK Party Istanbul MP Mustafa Yeneroğlu said the lynching attempt, which took place in Trabzon, was "horrific".

"It should not be a problem for Kurds from northern Iraq to take pictures with their own flags as we take pictures with our red flag all over the world," said Yeneroğlu.

Yeneroğlu described the incident as a complete disaster for the image of Turkey in the international arena.

"The opened flag/scarf is the flag of the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq. Of course, the people of that region will show respect and love for their flag as we do to ours."

"Any attack on the Turkish flag in Erbil is in same category attack carried out against the KRG flag in Trabzon."

HUDA PAR Vice President Abdullah Aslan: This discrimination and othering is not beneficial to the country

"The detention of attacked [tourists] instead of the attackers indicates the superiority of language, religion, and racial segregation in the law, not the superiority of justice and the rule of law," Aslan said.

"This discrimination and othering are not beneficial to the country. Still not clear?" he asked.

Saadet Party MP Cihangir Islam: The governor can be moved to the central office

Recalling that the KRG flag was officially recognized by the Republic of Turkey, Cihangir Islam, Saadet Party Istanbul also said: "The governor of Trabzon simply does not recognize northern Iraqi Kurdistan."

Saying that the non-recognition of the law against tourists should be eliminated, Cihangir Islam called on Turkey's Foreign Office to formally apologize. "The governor of Trabzon can be moved to the central office."

Lawyer Adem Sözüer: What crime did the tourists commit and they were detained?

Underlining that the duty of the state is to ensure the safety of tourists and to launch the necessary investigation into the attacks against them, lawyer Adem Sözüer asked: "What crime did the tourists commit and they were detained?"

"In a country where lynchings are ignored, not only tourists but also citizens of that country are under threat," he said.

"That flag has nothing to do with the PKK, which is the target of you and our righteous anger"

"Sorry, my fellow citizens from Trabzon, this is a wrong action! You must apologize for the fear you have inflicted on the little boy and his mother," said journalist Selahattin Yusuf.

Stating that incident as a shame, journalist Yusuf noted that the flag/scarf has nothing to do with the PKK.

"You should also be ashamed for this ignorance," he said for the attackers.

"There must be a legal and political equivalent of this ignorance-filled vandalism"

"I can't watch the mind-boggling lynching attempt in Trabzon," said journalist Kemal Öztürk.

Saying that there should be a legal and political equivalent of this ignorance-filled vandalism, journalist Öztürk drew attention that [if not punished] it will encourage same-minded people for the later periods.

"Don't you realize the level of violence and hatred in society is alarming?" he asked.

ILKHA