Raids on Boğaziçi University Dorms Following Erdoğan’s Statement
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Homes and dorms of Boğaziçi University students have been raided by police. Three students from Marxist Opinion Society were taken into custody yesterday (March 26). According to news agencies, there are eight students on the list of detention.
In his speech in Samsun on Saturday, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “We will find these terrorist students by means of footage and will do what is necessary”. In the wake of this statement, police raided homes and dorms where students stayed last morning.
Students’ lawyer İnayet Aksu said that the number of detentions concerning the protest increased to seven. The library was searched as well as the dorms.
Targeted by Erdoğan, the students had protested some students who opened a stand and distributed Turkish delight* in North Campus to commemorate people who lost their lives during Afrin operation.
What happened?
On March 19 (Monday) a group of students opened a stand giving out Turkish delight in North Campus following 46 soldiers losing their lives in Afrin. A group of antiwar students protested them by opening a banner reading “Invasion, massacre cannot be marked with Turkish delight”. A quarrel sparked between the two groups and the stand was reportedly attacked.
Justice and Development Party (AKP) Youth Branch in police control protested the attack launched on the stand on March 20. In the statement for the press issued, the students were described as “terrorists”.
Statements by university presidency and Higher Education Board
In its statement, Boğaziçi University Presidency has said, “We find the attack carried out on the stand unacceptable like any patriot”.
“Security forces intervened in the aforementioned demonstrations that were held without approval of our university administration. Necessary investigations and disciplinary procedures have been launched into this hostile demonstration”.
In its statement, the Higher Education Board (YÖK) has said, “In order to avoid such incidents causing public indignation, necessary precautions to be taken including amendment in regulations will be concluded by negotiating. This process has been commenced”.
Police entered campus
Five antiwar students were detained by police during home and dormitory raids on March 22.
In protest of the detentions, students released a statement on social media calling for a rally in the North Campus. The statement read:
“Detention of the students who weren’t even in the campus at the time of the incident is a proof that the attack has been turned into a witch hunt by the government to oppress the opposition in the university”.
Prior to the rally time, Anti-Terror teams entering the campus detained seven students by dragging them on the floor. Taken to Gayrettepe Security Directorate and detained there, the students were released on the same day.
Erdoğan called the students “terrorist”
On March 24, Saturday, Erdoğan said, “Those communist, traitor terrorist youngsters scattered the desk. We will not grant those youngsters right to education at university”. (HK/TK)
* Turkish delight is distributed to honour the soul of someone, who has recently passed.