University students protesting high housing prices in Turkey prevented by police

* Photo: Barınamıyoruz (We cannot find housing) Movement / Twitter

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Unable to find housing as there are not enough vacancies at public dormitories and the house rents and private dormitory fees are extremely high, university students across Turkey have initiated a movement called "We cannot find housing" (Barınamıyoruz).

As part of this movement, students have been spending the night at parks in several cities for the last few days.

They wanted to do the same last night (September 22) as well. However, the police intervened against the university students in Kocaeli, İzmir, İstanbul, Ankara and Eskişehir. While the police took 6 students into custody in Eskişehir, they have removed the students from parks in others.

Having gathered in a park in Eskişehir's Eskibağlar, students opened a banner that read "We cannot find housing" and wanted to stay the night at the park after reading out their statement for the press.

Surrounding the students, the police told the group to disperse "on the grounds that it was forbidden to make a press statement and open a banner as per the law on meetings and demonstrations." The group did not disperse. Police officers took 6 students into custody.

Criminal record checks in Adana and Ankara

In the southern province of Adana, the protest was held at the İnönü Park. Staging a sit-in protest, students raised publicity and concerns about the extremely high rents and dormitory problem.

Coming to the park, the police did a criminal record check on the students. They tried to prevent the students from protesting on the grounds that they had not got permission. Sitting in for some time, they dispersed.

In the capital city of Ankara, the police intercepted the students on their way to Kuğulu Park and did a criminal record check. The group was told by the police that they would not be allowed to get in the park and sit.

Threatening the young people with detaining them, the police teams followed the dispersing group to prevent them from gathering again.

Students put up tents in İstanbul

As for İstanbul, university students protested in Maçka Park and Moda Coast. Gathering in Maçka Park, they made a press statement by laying down their belongings. Ece Köroğlu from the Youth Movement said that they were having a housing problem, briefly adding:

"The state dorms are full, students are constantly given reserve places. The rents have increased incrementally. No solution is found for this.

Two state dorms have been built in İstanbul in the last 10 years. Except for this, funding has been constantly allocated to pro-government foundations and associations. They should be closed and turned into state dormitories.

The students sitting in Moda set up a tent as it started raining. Protesting in spite of the rain, they were supported with food and beverages by the citizens around. (HA/SD)