A group of Syrian nationals broke into the Syrian Consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday forcing Turkish police to intervene.
A source inside the consulate explained to Zaman al-Wasl that the group broke into the building to protect a man after a dispute broke out with a security guard. The source said the man was upset after waiting over a month to renew his passport, and had entered the building without permission. Police later arrived, forcing the group to leave the property.
The source mentioned it was not the first time such an incident had occurred.
The Syrian Consulate has continually changed its appointment requirements, with the latest amendment on May 15 denying people entry to the consulate without a nine-digit reference number issued over the phone. According to the source, the consulate employee responsible for issuing appointments regularly avoided answering the phones.
The source explained only one employee is responsible for the processing of passports, and another for processing documents and testimonies. Around 300 people attend the consulate daily.
