Boğaziçi University students occupy new campus café in protest against privatization

Boğaziçi University students launched an occupation protest at the newly opened chain coffee shop at the campus in response to the closure of the campus canteen as well as the restriction of coffee sales in other areas on campus.

Friday February 14 2025 11:51 pm

Duvar English

Since Feb. 10, students at Boğaziçi University have occupied the newly opened café space at its central campus, which was believed to be set to replace the campus canteen with the chain coffee shop.

Boğaziçi University is a public university and funded by the state.

For about five days, students have been making their own coffee and organizing events in the space they have named "Occupation Café."

More than 1,000 students protested the high prices at the newly opened café, holding banners that read "We bring our cheap coffee to your expensive tables" and "No passage for capital in Boğaziçi."

Protestor students carry a banner that reads, "We bring our cheap coffee to your expensive tables"

The student stated that they would continue their occupation until the university administration granted them the right to open a student collective at the space.

According to the students, the university also prohibited the other establishment at the campus from selling hot beverages after the opening of the new café.

Even though Espressolab company, which was alleged to be the owner of the new café, denied that they opened a new branch at the university, the students reported that they have seen the brand’s logo in the products.

Espressolab’s owners are known to have close ties to the government, and the chain has branches across university campuses throughout the country.

In 2011, a Starbucks branch opened at Boğaziçi University faced months of occupation from students and was eventually shut down and converted into a study space.

Boğaziçi students also staged prolonged protests in 2021 against the government-appointed rector which resulted in various violent clashes at the campus and dozens of arrests and detainments.