Boğaziçi University security staff break students' 'resistance tent' during intervention

Boğaziçi University's security personnel on Jan. 28 broke one of the tents that students were trying to set up in front of the rector's building in protest of the appointment of Melih Bulu as the new rector, who has close ties with President Erdoğan's ruling AKP. This incident was the first intervention of the security personnel against students on the campus premises.

Private security personnel employed at Istanbul's Boğaziçi University on Jan. 28 broke the poles of a tent that students were trying to set up in front of the rector's building in protest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's appointment of Melih Bulu as the new rector.

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On the 25th day of the protests, students attempted to set up tents to display their artworks mocking Bulu, whose appointment to the post via a presidential decree is considered a massive blow to academic freedom.

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Initially, the security personnel on the campus prevented students from setting up their “resistance” tents and broke the poles of one of the tents. But as they faced fierce determination from students in their cause, they backed down.

This incident was the first intervention of the security personnel against students on the campus premises.

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Boğaziçi Solidarity,  a student collective coordinating student protests, released a video showing students protesting in front of the rector's building.

“Our resistance tent, which has turned into a routine of our resistance for weeks, is being tried to be obstruced by the hands of the police and private security personnel. We will not let this happen! Both trustees and police will leave, and the victory will belong to students who have been resisting for their living space,” it said in its statement on Twitter.

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