French tourist pitching tent in Turkey’s Şanlıurfa stirs panic among locals

ŞANLIURFA

A French tourist who set up a tent in an urban transformation area in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa after hitchhiking from nearby Mardin has stirred panic among locals who suspected him of being a spy.

French tourist Paillard Chris pitched a tent in an urban transformation area in Şanlıurfa’s Süleymaniye neighborhood and fell asleep before being spotted by locals at around 11:00 p.m. on April 26.

The locals then informed the police about the tourist.

Despite introducing himself to the locals, Chris, who was speaking French, had a hard time trying to explain to the locals why he was there.

“This is an urban transformation area. We couldn’t understand why a French tourist would come and sleep here. We thought it had something to do with the intelligence. We are waiting for the police to come and intervene,” said İsmail Baytemur, a local.

Chris later gathered his belongings and tent and left the area before police officers came to the scene.