The moment a Turkish mayor slaps blind man -- twice -- during disabled persons event

By RYAN GORMAN

The mayor of a district in Istanbul twice hit a blind man while he spoke on behalf of disabled people.

Altınok Öz, who is in charge of the Kartal district, in Turkey's largest city, twice smacked Özgür Uğur in the face while he spoke December 3 on the International Day of Disabled Persons. Uğur is a representative of the disabled person's uint, according to Hurriyet News.

As Uğur talks, Öz sidles up behind him and taps the back of his head. He then smacks him on the cheek. Uğur then turns around and the men embrace as those in the room laugh.

The outraged Turkish public took to social media to vent their rage, but both men insist the slaps were just "a joke," according to a statement obtained by the paper.

The pair insists they are as close as "father and son" and that the smacks were a joke that is part of a "greeting ritual."

Uğur said the smacks and embrace were a "beautiful greeting" before posing a tongue-in-cheek question.

"Can't people see the full picture? Are they blind?"

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