Private security violence at İTÜ: Woman student faints after being kicked
At İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ), students attempting to hang a banner in front of the rectorate in protest against disciplinary investigations were met with a violent intervention by the Private Security Unit (ÖGB). Speaking to BirGün, students said, “We were all subjected to violence. A woman student who was kicked fainted. At least six people went to obtain medical reports documenting the assault.”
The protests that began on 19 March are still ongoing at many universities. One striking aspect has been the harsh interventions by Private Security Units (ÖGB) against demonstrations on campuses. The latest example occurred today at İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ).
Speaking to BirGün, İTÜ students said, “On 20 March, the rectorate launched investigations into fellow students simply for chanting the slogan ‘appointed rectors will go’ during the İTÜ march.”
In response to this, the students said they symbolically launched an investigation against the rectorate itself: “We wanted to hang a banner announcing this symbolic investigation on the rectorate building.”
“As we approached the building, ÖGB intervened before we even did anything,” the students recounted. “We managed to hang the banner, locked arms, and stood in front of it to protect it. The ÖGB targeted some of the students who were arm-in-arm, dragged two of them away, and detained them.”
They reported that a woman student was kicked and fainted, and at least six students went to obtain medical reports documenting the assault.
The students continued: “There was a major clash. The ÖGB used heavy-handed violence against us. One of our women friends was sexually harassed by ÖGB, and during the scuffle, her T-shirt and underwear were torn, leaving her exposed. Many of our friends had their clothes ripped.”
Note: This text has been translated from the original Turkish version titled İTÜ’de ÖGB şiddeti: Tekme atılan kadın öğrenci bayıldı, published in BirGün newspaper on May 5, 2025.
