On October 21, 2025, a group of students attacked another group of students engaged in a peaceful protest over the cost of food and living conditions at Ankara University.
The protesting students had gathered in the cafeteria to deliver speeches and distribute leaflets. After another group of students attacked them, the demonstrators moved to the university courtyard. There, police surrounded them and detained several of the protesting students.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks by students against other students. All members of the higher education community must refrain from violence, especially on campus. Such incidents create a chilling effect on the academic community, threatening both institutional autonomy and the personal safety of scholars. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.
Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://sendika.org/2025/10/dtcfde-yemekhane-zammina-karsi-cikan-ogrencilere-fasist-saldiri-saldiri-puskurtuldu-9-ogrenci-polis-tarafindan-gozaltina-alindi-735766
https://www.evrensel.net/haber/579078/dil-ve-tarih-cografya-fakultesinde-yemekhane-zammi-eylemine-ulkucu-saldirisi
https://t24.com.tr/gundem/yemekhane-zammini-protesto-eden-ogrencilere-destek-hopa-dan-dtcf-ye-fasizme-gecit-yok,1269364?_t=1783436701873
https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/siyaset/dtcf-de-yemek-zammi-protestosuna-saldiri-2445720