Detained Boğaziçi University student's shoe size is higher than IQs of gov't officials: CHP head

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said that the shoe size of a student detained during Boğaziçi University protests is higher than the IQs of government officials. Kılıçdaroğlu was commenting on the government response to the protests when he made the remarks.

Tuesday February 09 2021 04:12 pm

Duvar English

The shoe size of a detained Boğaziçi University student is higher than the IQs of government officials, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said.

Addressing members of his party during a parliamentary group meeting on Feb. 9, Kılıçdaroğlu slammed the government response to the protests, which began after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed Melih Bulu as the rector of Turkey's most prestigious university on Jan. 2.

"They forcefully took students and brought them to court, which then released them. I particularly remember two pictures from the courthouse. One is the one with students hugging each other and the other one is of a student wearing a headscarf and doing the victory sign," Kılıçdaroğlu said, referring to the pictures taken in the courthouse after the students were freed.

Dozens of Boğaziçi University students were met with police brutality during the protests against the appointment of Bulu, who is a long-time ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) member. Scores of students were detained and nine of them were arrested.

While the protestors are backed by the opposition, Bulu has the support of the AKP, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and mafia leader Alaattin Çakıcı. Pro-government trolls on Twitter have also been attacking the students and academics for protesting the appointment and calling on Bulu to resign.

"Look at this waste of a human being who calls on the rector to resign when she has no shoes," wrote one Twitter troll with a picture of Şeyma Altundal, the student Kılıçdaroğlu mentioned in his speech.

The CHP leader praised another social media user for responding to the troll's comment.

"A user said, 'Her shoe size is higher than your IQ' in response. It's actually lacking. The shoe size of that student is higher than the IQs of those ruling the country," Kılıçdaroğlu said.