Turkish people breaking their iPhones after Erdogan’s call to boycott US products

Turkish citizens are posting videos of themselves smashing or otherwise destroying iPhones this week amid the Trump administration’s growing tensions with Turkey’s government.

CBS News reports that Turks took to Twitter after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a boycott on iPhones and other U.S. tech products following new U.S. sanctions on Turkey.

{mosads}“We will impose a boycott on U.S. electronic products. If they have iPhones, there is Samsung on the other side, and we have our own Vestel here,” he said in a speech on Tuesday.

The speech was followed by dozens of videos on social media showing young Turks destroying smartphones, including one man who shot his phone with a handgun and another widely viewed video showing a man breaking phones with a sledgehammer.

“If you threaten us with hunger you will only make us laugh. Do whatever in your power,” the man says in the video, addressing President Trump, according to CBS News. “Look now what will happen to you iPhones on the orders” of Erdoğan, he continues.

#IPhone hammering trend continues in #Turkey.

A group of #Turkish youngsters hammered their #IPhones.
Well,listen carefully what happens at the end. pic.twitter.com/2gZyXkaaPv

— EHA News (@eha_news) August 15, 2018

The Trump administration hit two senior Turkish officials with sanctions last week over the continued detention of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, and has doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum on Turkish exports as well.

Turkey retaliated, vowing sanctions on U.S. officials, though it was unclear if any administration officials would be affected by the reciprocal measure.