Over the summer of 2025, influencer Merjem Blitten – known online as @blittem – posted a video she thought would wow her followers. Filmed at the famous Uçhisar Castle in Cappadocia, she performed an acrobatic pole routine around a flagpole. But it wasn’t just any pole. Draped from the top was the Turkish national flag – and that detail turned her flashy stunt into a full-blown scandal.
The clip, captioned “when Bosnia meets Turkey,” spread like wildfire, pulling in hundreds of thousands of views. Instead of applause, the majority of comments accused her of disrespect. What she clearly meant as a mix of sport and performance art quickly spiralled into one of the year’s most controversial influencer moments.
Turkish Viewers Unhappy
If you thought this was just a case of a few raised eyebrows, think again. The internet lit up with angry responses. Critics called it shameful, saying the flag should never be used as a prop. Others argued that she’d insulted Turkey’s national pride by treating such a powerful symbol like a gym bar.
The backlash didn’t stop with online comments either. National newspapers and TV channels covered the story, while politicians described it as a “heinous act” that undermined the country’s spiritual values. What had started as a short video turned into a national talking point, sparking debates about respect, culture, and influencer entitlement.
Trouble With the Law
For most influencers, controversy usually blows over after a couple of weeks. Not this time. Turkish authorities launched a criminal investigation almost immediately. Why? Because in Turkey, the flag isn’t just a piece of fabric – it’s protected by law.
Under the country’s penal code, disrespecting the flag can carry prison time. Depending on how the courts interpret her video, Merjem could face up to several years behind bars. Suddenly, a playful post had become a serious legal issue, with the influencer herself at the centre of a storm that went way beyond social media.
Merjem Hits Back
While many people might have issued a quick apology and deleted the clip, Merjem went in the opposite direction. She doubled down, dismissing her critics as “small-minded” and claiming that everyone who was actually there on the day had loved her performance.
That defiance only added fuel to the fire. Supporters praised her for standing her ground, while critics slammed her for arrogance. Instead of calming the drama, her clapbacks kept the story alive and ensured it stayed at the top of trending lists for weeks.
From Post to Punchline
Now, the “flagpole fiasco” has become one of those internet moments people just can’t forget. It had all the ingredients: a daring stunt, a cultural clash, legal drama, and an influencer who refused to back down. It’s been dissected in commentaries, memed across social platforms, and held up as a warning of what happens when you don’t think before you post.
For Merjem, the saga has cemented her name in the hall of fame for influencer controversies. Whether you see it as bold artistic expression or a reckless stunt, one thing’s for sure – no one is forgetting the day she turned a national symbol into a viral pole dance routine.
This post is part of our Influencers Gone Wild series.
She’s an idiot, yes, but prison seems a bit excessive.