TNT Coronavirus Edition: Haircuts on the Black Market

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 April 2020)





Because of the coronavirus outbreak, barber shops throughout Turkey
have been closed since 21 March, by order of the Interior Ministry.
But this prohibition is often being ignored by barbers who agree to
their customers' special requests.

Barber S.C. in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul, said that he's been going to
his customers' houses to cut their hair because his shop is closed.
We (Hürriyet), posing as a company director, called S.C. for his
services and he told us "I can tell you have an important meeting. I
don't go to other districts (in Istanbul) but I can come to your place.
I charge 150 TL (about $25) for a haircut. Give me your address."


                
            Brazenly 'cutting in plain site' to flout the ban.

In Ataşehir, Istanbul, barber N.K., taking note of the Ministry's
edict, said that "there's a 3,150 TL (about $500) fine.  One of my
friends got hit with it.  Somehow the police got wind of his activities,
tailed him and wrote him up for the fine.  Because of the risk, I'm not
going to the homes of customers who request haircuts."

We then talked with barber K.S. in Altındağ, Ankara, who told us
that "I'll come to the address you give me.We're very careful about
hygiene and only use one-use items.  The other day I cut the hair of
a parliamentarian (!).  Normally, I get 50 TL but when I cut hair at
someone's home I charge 100 TL.  I'm very busy and can only get
to you in two or three days from now."

But barber H.Y. in Buca, Izmir, told us "a lot of people are calling
me but I won't go because of the fine."




      Police stake-out photo just before SWAT team raid.