Düzce excavator operator gains attention for honoring Turkish flag

Mehmet Akçay, an excavator operator working for the Düzce Municipality, gained social media attention after stopping his work to tend to a Turkish flag. While performing field studies in the Beyciler neighborhood, Akçay noticed a flag hanging between two trees had become folded due to the wind.

Akçay maneuvered his heavy machinery toward the flag, climbed onto the excavator's bucket, and carefully straightened the flag. After fixing it, he kissed the flag and held it to his forehead as a sign of respect. The incident was captured on video by a colleague without Akçay's knowledge.

Following the viral spread of the footage, Akçay stated that his actions were a spontaneous reflex, noting, “Our flag is the most sacred trust left to us by our martyrs.” He expressed that he acted out of personal conviction and remains pleased by the public's positive response to his gesture.