Turkish university students stand guard after New Year’s decorations on campus face continuous attacks

After the New Year's decorations put by students at Istanbul’s Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) were attacked by unidentified people, students started a watch next to the decorated tree. Islamist groups threatened the students on social media, saying that they cannot behave like this in a "Muslim country.”

Monday December 11 2023 10:27 am

Duvar English

Islamist groups have been attacking the New Year’s decorations put by students on a tree in Istanbul’s Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) campus.

Öğrencilerin süslediği ağaçtaki süsler toplatıldı. https://t.co/xPgQGXgvYV pic.twitter.com/xW2sK8kF9j
— no context yıldız (@nocontextytu) December 6, 2023

The students began to stand guard near the tree after the decorations had been removed and the tree’s branches were broken by unidentified people.

Nöbete biz de katıldık, bekleriz 🥳🎄 #YıldızlıAğaç https://t.co/VsGtdRzScP pic.twitter.com/XwLdiyocgW
— emr #DirenYTU 🎄 (@emrybn) December 10, 2023

Some social media users threatened the students and stated that they could not organize celebrations such as these in a “Muslim country.” Constitutionally, Turkey is a secular country.

Most social media users targeting the students have been using the same discourse adopted by the groups in every student mobilization in Turkey, framing them as “terrorist sympathizers” or “being against national values.”

Some even shared messages on X with gun pictures to threaten the students.

Student clubs in the university also shared an announcement calling for students to gather and decorate the tree on Dec. 11.