A BUSINESSMAN has spoken of his shock after his shop was defaced with a Swastika.
Hidden Gem Kebab House, in Littlemoor Shopping Centre, was allegedly targeted in broad daylight in what police believe to be a racially aggravated attack.
Gem Ciftlik, 41, who runs the business with his wife, said: "It happened in the middle of the day just before we were due to open, I was in the back of the store the time.
"It is just so upsetting. It has affected me morally and has really affected my business, people don’t want to come to the shop with that outside the front."
A 47-year-old Weymouth man has been arrested on suspicion of racially/religiously aggravated criminal damage and is currently helping police with their enquiries.
Originally from Turkey, Mr Ciftlik moved to England as a student 16 years ago and has lived in Weymouth for the past eight years.
This is not the first time he has experienced an allegedly racially-motived incident in the area.
He added: "We had a kebab shop in Weymouth town centre for three years and I was racially attacked every other day.
"I gave up that business and moved to Littlemoor because of that."
Mr Ciftlik was previously the victim of a violent attack when he ran a takeaway in Bradford upon Avon, Wiltshire, in 2007, leaving him with a broken nose and broken eye sockets.
Mr Cliftik said he no longer feels safe in the area and fears his children will be targeted on the street.
His wife Victoria Ciftlik, 29, originally from Somerset, said: "I’m really worried. We started over, we have only been open three months and this is the second alleged incident in that time.
"I often have to go to the store and work until 5am so I can face the customers whilst he works with his back turned, and we have a six-week old baby at home."
Police were called immediately after the incident and were able to view footage from the Hidden Gem Kebab House's eight CCTV cameras.
Councillor for Littlemoor Mark Trewsbury said: "I’m saddened to hear that this has happened and I hope it an isolated case.
"Many people have commented they have regularly used the kebab shop and it has been very well received within the community.”
He added that this is the first alleged incident of its kind he has heard of in Littlemoor.
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