In Istanbul, a protest by students has again been broken up violently. Police made several arrests, while the exact number is still unclear. Those involved planned to make a public statement at the port of Kadıköy and call for a strike against the trustee administration at universities. Protests for university autonomy have been ongoing since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed finance scholar Melih Bulu as rector of Istanbul's Boğaziçi University earlier this year.

In response to the appointment of Bulu, a partisan of Erdoğan's AKP, a resistance movement was established that is wanted to be violently suppressed. Hundreds of students and activists have already been detained in connection with the protests, and arrest warrants have been issued for eleven others. Eight students have been released in the meantime - albeit only under reporting requirements or house arrest - but two of them, Şilan Delipalta from the student movement Öğrenci Kolektifleri and TIP activist Anıl Akyüz, have been behind bars since the beginning of February. Tomorrow, Friday, the trial of both of them will begin over “resistance to state power” and “violation of the Assembly Act”. If convicted, the defendants face up to three years in prison.

Today's rally was banned at short notice by the Kadıköy district administration. As a result, roadblocks were set up around the harbor square, and several entrances were blocked by police with armored vehicles. The police did not agree to negotiate with HDP deputies Züleyha Gülüm and Ali Kenanoğlu. Instead, the police used tear gas against the students, who shouted slogans such as "The universities belong to us, we will liberate them" and "We will win fighting." Violent arrests occurred both at the port square and in side streets where students retreated after the tear gas was used. The police blockade of the port continues at the hour.