Turkish far-right group calls teachers 'supporters of terrorism' after accused of raiding school

The Hatay branch of the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-İş) has filed a lawsuit against members of the fascist and ultra-nationalist organization Grey Wolves on accusations of raiding a high school last week. The group denied the accusations and instead labeled the teachers, who brought the charges, as “supporters of terrorism.”

Wednesday October 13 2021 12:51 am

The Hatay branch of the Grey Wolves on Oct. 12 made a statement in front of the Hatay Courthouse.

Burcu Özkaya Günaydın / DUVAR

After a group of teachers filed a complaint against members of the Grey Wolves (Ülkü Ocakları) for threatening them, the far-right organization accused the teachers of “supporting terrorism.”

The incident occurred in the southern province of Hatay after the teachers gave a written warning to some students at the Hatay Şehit Ahmet Benli Vocational and Technical High School.

After this incident, people who introduced themselves as members of the Grey Wolves raided the school on Oct. 7, the head of the Hatay branch of the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-İş), Mustafa Günal, said in a statement on Oct. 11.

Günal said that these people entered into an argument with the teachers, telling them the students in question were within their organization and asked the teachers to withdraw their warnings. The reason behind the warnings has not been disclosed.

Günal said that they have taken the issue to the judiciary.

The Hatay Grey Wolves branch refuted the allegations in a statement in front of the Hatay Courthouse on Oct. 12, and accused the teachers of “supporting terrorism activities.”

“The relevant slanderers are people who are supporting separatist and terror activities under the guise of being educators,” said the head of the group, Alihan Döner.

Döner said that they would also file a complaint against media organs that reported on the allegations of the school raid.

“The incident did not happen as they have reported. As the students were chatting with the volunteers of our foundation, aggressive teachers came near them and made insulting and threatening remarks at our students and friends. Some teachers who are sympathizers of the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] and terrorism made verbal attacks against students such as 'I will finish your education life,'” Döner said.

The Grey Wolves, which have been operating inside Turkey for decades, is regarded as the armed wing of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). During the 1970s and 1980s, it committed acts of violence on the streets of Turkey, when its members often clashed with political opponents.