Menemen Incident

Islamists rebelled against the secularization of Turkey by Atatürk and beheaded Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay, a teacher who was doing his military service and two other watchmen.

''[2] Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay, who had hidden himself in a mosque, was beheaded by the crowd with an axe who then placed his severed head on a pole with a green flag and paraded through town with it.

[6] The new republican government of Turkey was shocked by the demonstration of religious fervor and by how readily it was embraced by some Turks, as it was completely antithetical to secularism.

A state of emergency was declared and courts-martial were established which meted out sentences ranging from death at the gallows or life imprisonment to one year's confinement.

[8] These attempts reflected a comprehensive effort by the government to remove Islamic influences and entrench nationality over religion in Turkish culture.

A military honor guard stands continuous watch at the memorial site, which contains the graves of several Turkish soldiers who were killed in the line of duty.