The academics who were dismissed from their universities with a recent executive decree wanted to rally against the unlawful decision in Ankara University Cebeci Campus. The police attacked brutally as the protestors weren’t allowed to enter the campus. More than 10 were detained including some academics.
CANNONS, BULLETS, GAS, AND DOGS
A call headed #NoWeAreNotLeaving has been made by Education and Science Workers’ Union Ankara Office to protest the dismissal of 330 academics upon the Execute Decree No. 686, recently passed by the ruling AKP government. 70 of the dismissed were from Ankara University.The protestors gathered in front of Ankara University Faculty of Political Science, known by its historical name “Mülkiye”, including dismissed academicians, their colleagues and students, as well as the former Mülkiye Dean Yalçın Karatepe.
The police attacked the academicians who wanted to enter the campus with water cannons, plastic bullets, tear gas, and police dogs. More than 10 were detained including Hakan Yüksel, a dismissed academician from Ankara University Faculty of Communication, amongst other academicians.
OPPOSITION MPS ALSO WEREN’T LET IN
Some MPs from the main opposition CHP were present in front of Cebeci Campus to support the protest. Justifying the decision of the Governorate of Ankara, the private security guards of Ankara University didn’t let the MPs into the campus.
The CHP lawmakers waited to enter the campus for a while as reaching the Chancellor and other officials by phone. Then, they tried to enter by forcing the security guards. An affray took place between the MPs and the police. Following MPs entering the campus, the riot police teams arrived to intervene.
ACADEMICS PUT GOWNS ON FLOOR
Academics put their gowns down on the floor in front of the campus entrance to protest the police attack. The most striking photo of the day was taken when the police trampled over the gowns and attacked the academicians.
It has been commented on the social network that “the AKP trampled on the academy,” referencing a Turkish idiom implying the act of disregard.
Police stepping on the academics’ gowns
MANY PROTESTORS GOT INJURED
As a result of the police attack, many academics and students were injured.
Cenk Yiğiter, a dismissed academics, told the reporters that he had been punched by an undercover cop. “Some of our friends were subjected to violence by the riot police. All these happened before the Campus Security Chief’s eyes,” said Yiğiter.
Şeyda Sever, a former academics at Ankara University Faculty of Communication, who attended the rally to support her friends, was shot by the police with a plastic bullet and fell down during the protest. “I came because I had to. The real heroes are my resisting colleagues,” said Sever.
Academics Şeyda Sever was also injured by the police
