Attack on Ottoman statue 'not political,' suspects say

Two men who were detained on suspicion they had vandalized the much-debated statue of a selfie-taking Ottoman prince in northern Turkey have told the police they damaged the statue inadvertently, bearing no political motives.

?I wanted to examine the cell phone [a feature of the Ottoman prince statue]. When I extended my hand, it suddenly broke into two pieces,? one of the suspects, a 34-year-old identified as B.C, said, according to the May 13 report by Do?an News Agency.

The cell phone feature of the statue was broken on May 10, a day after the statue was erected by the municipality in the Black Sea province of Amasya. The next day, the Ottoman prince?s sword was also broken and a police investigation was launched.

The second suspect, identified as 21-year-old O.C., told the police the statue?s sword instantly fell when he touched it, ?as if it was broken before.?

?I am in no way a part of any political platform and I absolutely had no malice in this incident,? he added.

The prosecutor released both suspects after they testified. Deputy Mayor Osman Akba? announced a new selfie-taking Ottoman prince statue will be constructed and erected to replace the damaged one.