Bogazici University students gathered infront of the rectorate and called for the resignation of the Rector Bulu

Students, reacting against to the appointment of a former AKP candidate for member of parliament, Melih Bulu  as the rector by President Erdogan, organized a function in front of the rectorate building. 

Melih Bulu waved from his office window in the rectorate building at the students demonstrating against him with slogans "We don't want a trustee rector," "Melih Bulu Resign." The students booed at him. Police placed reinforcements at the campus enterance. The campus enterance was blocked by many police, Tomas (armored truck dispersing pressurized water) and trucks. Students left the University ground for a mass function in Kadikoy.

Istanbul Governor banned the function organized by Bogazici University students to protest the trustee rector on the grounds of pandemic. The Governor announced that the meetings, marching, and demonstrations in Besiktas and Sariyer municipalities were banned. Meanwhile, starting in the early hours of the morning, police reinforcements were placed at the entrance and the surroundings of Bogazici University.

PROTEST FUNCTION CARRIED OUT DESPITE BLOCKING

Despite all blocking, hundreds of students, gathering in front of the rectorate building, shouted the slogans “We don't want trustee rector !”, “Melih Resign.” Melih Bulu, concurrently attending a social media program, waved at the students reacting to him. But the students protested the rector shouting “Yuuuhhh” and “Melih the liar, resign.”

"WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ELECT OUR OWN RECTOR"

With the announcement they made in front of the rectorate building, the students said "We, as members of Bogazici University, are well qualified to elect our rector. The former rector Mehmet Ozkan was also appointed. We are not allowed to elect our own rector. As five years ago, we were able to step into our university without showing identity cards, now, Hisarustu, the area where our university is, is full of police."

THEY SHOWED THEIR STUDENT ID CARDS 

Stating that all who took part in the demonstrations were from Bogazici, the students showed their id cards. The students, shouting “Not tea, resignation,” refused the invitation from the rector to have a cup of tea with them. Members of Bogazici, demanding the release of their friends taken into custody, shouted the slogans “Release our friends,” “No to naked search,” as they told that their friends in custody were forced to naked search.

METU marched to the rectorate building: The demands of Boğazici students are our demands

METU students demonstrated in front of the rectorate building in opposition of the appointment of Melih Bulu associated with AKP. METU students said "we will struggle against the goverment turning universities to their backyards, and what it does, we won't allow trustee-accomplice-rectors." 

During the march to the rectorate building, the slogans "Versan Kok not qualified to be the METU rector" were often shouted. In the statement made in front of the rectorate building, it was said "This appointment is made to transform the universities per the government's political needs and in the interests of the capital to transform universities." Stating that the universities were displaced far away from their free thinking and democratic structure,  the rector appointments, oppression and attacks, it was said in the statement "It is intended to transform them into a business centre in the service of capital. Academicians and students are tried to be stereotypes who don't raise a voice, pay homage in the government's order." Calling attention to that, by the appointments and interference it committed, by trying to obstruct the university components, students and workers from having their say in the university affairs, AKP is in the actor position of the process, the announcement also contained the statements: "Such anti-democratic enforcements like abolishing BSRs [Board of Student Representation], shutting down student societies and banning their activities are paving the way to turn down every voice from the universities that would criticise the status quo."

Further in the statement that said Versan Kok appointed to METU and his administration acted like the political power, it was stated "We, as the METU students, have stood against such oppression and attacks by the common struggle of all components of our university, and we continue to do so. It is to defend the free and democratic university to stand against the appointed rectors who are part of the overall attacks at the universities."

Stating that just as it was yesterday, today too, the students have positioned themselves against the appointed rectors, the oppression on the universities together with all their components, police violation in campuses, the announcement said “As the METU students, we will struggle against the government trying to transform the universities into their backyard and what it has done; and we will not permit the trustee-accomplice-rectors.” Further the statement said "As METU Students, the demands of Bogazici students are also our demands." It was stressed that the rectors were to be elected by the common conscience of all university components, by students, academicians, and workers.

Egitim Sen [Education Workers Union], Mert Kukrer from Branch No 5 said that academy had been in the process of deep corruption because of the attacks of the governing political power. Stating that the appointment of the university administrators per political concerns was inadmissible, he stressed that the academicians would not be subdued by the government's oppression. Kukrer pledged to stand by Bogazici students and workers who defended their university against those who handcuffed the doors of the university and taking the students into custody. (EVRENSEL DAILY)