Turkish televangelist stirs public outcry for abusing kangaroo

ISTANBUL

A Turkish televangelist, who introduces himself as the savior of humanity, has stirred public outcry by abusing a kangaroo.

Tuncer Çiftçi was seen in a video shared on social media on July 28 while hitting a kangaroo and shadow-boxing with it at a zoo.

“I congratulate Mr. Kangaroo for its restraint against such an abusive animal,” Twitter user Onur Uğur said.

“It seems the kangaroo was initially appalled. Then it decided the man was just a lunatic, so it didn’t hit back,” another user, Can Gürses, commented on Twitter.

On television and radio programs, Çiftçi had claimed he was the Mahdi, who some Muslims believe is an eschatological redeemer of Islam who will appear soon before the Day of Judgment.

In another video that went viral on social media, Çiftçi was seen at a waterfall with his female followers who were racing with each other to cross the cascade first to prove their love for him.

“Why don’t we see even one sane Mahdi candidate in our country?” Twitter user Mete Kağan asked.

Adnan Oktar, another controversial Turkish televangelist who claimed to be the Mahdi, was arrested along with 234 of his followers on July 19 for over 30 charges, including forming a criminal gang, fraud and sexual abuse.