Police intervention against İstanbul University students in Beyazıt

Since yesterday (February 20), students have been protesting against the decision by İstanbul University (IU) Rectorate to open the Beyazıt Campus to visitors under the name "wall-less university."

İstanbul University students drew attention to the fact that the campus is opened for commercial purposes while the ban on inter-faculty transfer for students continues, saying "Open the door to students, not to profit."

On the second day of the protest today (February 21) in front of the Beyazıt Main Gate, İstanbul University students attempted to organize a forum inside the campus.

Carrying banners that read "The decree belongs to the trustee, but universities belong to us," "Trustees will leave, we will stay," "Universities are not trading places," and "School, not a museum," the students expressed their demands.

Referring to their meeting with a university official on February 20, an İstanbul University student said the following:

"We don't have a problem with our universities being open to the public. But all these things you're saying are lies, nonsense. We want students to have a say in decision-making. When we asked, 'Will you open these places to trade?' the university official replied, 'Trust your elder brother, such a thing will not happen.' They speak with the mouth of the political power because the rector [Rector Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar] himself is a trustee. When we talked to the rector, he told us, 'There is no ban on inter-faculty transfer.' So we want to enter this school by showing our IDs."

Many students injured

Students who attempted to enter the campus by showing their IDs were blocked by riot police. In response, the students clashed with the police barricade.

Many students were injured as a result of the police's harsh intervention. One student who felt unwell during the intervention with pepper gas was taken to the hospital.

After the intervention, the students started a sit-in protest in front of the Main Gate. The students stated that they would continue their protests until they were allowed into the campus.

(AD/PE)