Going to a festival to show off your best cosplay, compete for a trip to Japan, and have fun with friends should be the perfect weekend plan, but intolerance ruined it all. What was supposed to be a party dedicated to Japanese pop culture in Istanbul ended in real panic when a radical group violently broke into the venue to attack attendees and force the cancellation of the event.

The unfortunate incident occurred during the afternoon of October 4th at the thirteenth edition of KonohaFest, held in the Ümraniye district. Before the attack, a platform of local associations called for a protest against the convention, arguing that the character portrayals and the event’s culture directly attacked family structure and promoted identity confusion among young people. Accompanied by signs with conservative messages, the protesters stated their position at the venue entrance.

The protest didn’t stop at words. After their speech, the group stormed the facilities chanting religious slogans and directly attacked those present. Using stones, sticks, and pepper spray, the attackers targeted young people, exhibitors, and families with small children, destroying vendor stalls, sound equipment, and flags. Despite clashes with security personnel, the severity of the attacks forced organizers to suspend all activities to protect attendees’ safety.

So far, local authorities have not reported any arrests or issued an official statement on the assaults, leaving a deep sense of indignation among anime fans who only sought a safe space to socialize.

KonohaFest is an independent, free-entry event focused on promoting Japanese culture, anime, and cosplay in Turkey. Privately organized by the collective People of Konoha and the establishment Konoha Restaurant, the convention celebrated its thirteenth edition at Limonlu Bahce. The program included calligraphy and origami workshops, food contests, and a cosplay tournament with a grand prize of a trip to Japan valued at 250,000 Turkish lira.

What do you think about this type of aggression against events dedicated to anime and cosplay?