Public outrage has erupted in Turkey after a video showed two young men dressed in Nazi SS uniforms walking freely along Istanbul’s busy Istiklal Avenue, stopping for selfies and even giving a Nazi salute while passers-by laughed and posed with them.
The footage, widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), shows several young people greeting the pair enthusiastically, with some responding with Nazi-style salutes. The scene sparked a wave of anger online, with many users condemning both the costume choice and the apparent casualness of the onlookers.
The incident took place over the Halloween weekend, a holiday that has grown in popularity among young people in Turkey’s major cities. However, the choice of SS uniforms was seen as deeply provocative, especially amid the current political climate in which Turkish officials frequently accuse Israel of using “Nazi practices” in Gaza.
Social media users reacted strongly. One post read:
“Two young men on Istiklal dressed as SS soldiers, posing with Nazi salutes. Even if you say they’re naive, how do you explain the others rushing to take pictures with them?”
Nationalist accounts, however, sought to downplay the controversy, with one user writing provocatively: “Why do you get angry every time you see a Nazi uniform? Was your grandfather a Jew in a camp?”
The video continues to circulate widely, fuelling heated debate about social attitudes and the normalisation of extremist imagery in popular culture.
Multiple young people spotted in Nazi uniforms in Turkey today.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 4, 2025
Passersby don't seem to care. Some even want to take photos with them.
It really has gotten that bad. pic.twitter.com/fLw9rzDCIz
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