People across Turkey bang pots and pans in support of Boğaziçi University protests

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People across Turkey banged on pots and pans and whistled from their windows on Feb. 2 evening in support of Boğaziçi University students, who have been protesting for the last month against the appointment of Melih Bulu as rector by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The protest was shared on social media under the hashtag of #9dacama (“To the window at 9 p.m.).

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu commented on the protests, claiming that 79 of the 108 students who were detained on Feb. 1 outside the Boğaziçi University campus were a member of a terrorist organization.

“Some 101 of the 108 people detained in front of the South Campus [entrance] are not connected to Boğaziçi [University]. And 79 of them are a member of a terror organization, including DHKP-C and THKP/C-ML,” he said on Feb. 2 evening, in remarks to Haber Global TV channel.

A total of 159 Boğaziçi University students were detained on Feb. 1 both outside and inside the university campus. Some 98 of them were released early on Feb. 2. 

Both Istanbul and Ankara saw police brutality on Feb. 2 as protests against Bulu's appointment as the Boğaziçi University rector continued.

Istanbul police tear-gassed and used plastic bullets against protestors who gathered in the Kadıköy district upon the call of the Istanbul Labour, Peace and Democracy Forces civil society group.

Several people were battered and detained during the police intervention. 

Images showed several protestors being violently battered by the police.

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