“Berkin Elvan Student House” Opens in Istanbul

25 students affiliated with Halkların Demoktarik Partisi (Peoples’ Democratic Party) assembled in front of the Eagle Statue in Istanbul’s Besiktas district and marched towards the house.

It is reported that the old 4 story building hasn’t been resided for years.

 Youngsters occupied the house on the birthday of Ali İsmail Korkmaz and named it “Berkin Elvan - a 15-year-old boy who died during the Gezi Protests. 

The group hung the banner “Beşiktaş Berkin Elvan Student House” on the window of the apartment after breaking the padlock of the house.

“There will be culture and art activities”

“We came to this street as a friend and a neighbor. We are calling everybody, especially forums and neighborhood residents for cleaning. We will transform here into a student house by making it public. We will build a library, create a study center and organize symposiums as time goes by. There will be culture and art activities,” youngsters said in a statement.

Neighborhood residents reacted against the occupied house with confusion and gladness. While some neighbors warned the group from their windows about the oldness of the house and the possibility of its collapsing, others asked the group to put a watchman in front of the building in case of fire and robbery. 

On the other hand, one of the neighbors called the police, expressing his discontent about the new users of the building. 

“The building belonged to one of my friends, it was bought 9 years ago but it couldn’t be restored,” he said. (NV/BD/BM)