A gunman has taken seven workers hostage at a Procter & Gamble factory in Turkey as part of a protest against the war in Gaza, police said.
The suspects stormed the Gebze factory main building at around 2:20 pm local time on Thursday, pointing guns at seven people, while the remaining employees fled. According to Türkiye’s IHA news agency.
“Early today, we evacuated our Gebze facility and are working with local authorities to resolve the urgent security situation,” U.S.-based Procter & Gamble said in a statement. “The safety of P&G employees and partners is our top priority.”
The suspect, who has not yet been identified, allegedly jumped the fence surrounding the factory and targeted employees in the factory’s cleaning and personal care departments.
Unverified videos from the scene have been uploaded to social media, showing the alleged gunman, his face hidden, spray-painting pro-Palestinian words on the walls of the factory.
According to Turkey’s Demiroren news agency, local resident Ismet Cifni, whose wife Suheila was among the hostages, said in a phone call during the incident that she and six other employees were safe. He said he was informed.
Special forces, police and first responders have been dispatched and are currently on scene. Kocaeli Governor Sedar Yavuz was in the area and briefed on the conflict.
Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble employs approximately 700 people at three locations in Istanbul and Kocaeli, including the Gebze factory. The factory primarily makes cleaning and hygiene products for brands such as Gillette and Oral-B.
According to the company, the Turkish location will serve as a base for operations in eight countries.
This is a developing story.
