Media, opposition praise violence, Turkish PM says following clashes

ISTANBUL

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Members of the media and the main opposition are praising violence by showing support for students that were caught up in an attack by police at Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) on Dec. 18, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said today.
 
"When will you take a step to share the joy of this country?" Erdoğan asked. "The columnists wrote the next day, with no shame, that the police used tear gas. Well what were the police supposed to do?"
 
Over 3,000 police officers were on hand to guard Erdoğan as he came to ODTÜ on Dec. 18 to witness the launch of Turkey’s first domestically produced satellite, the Göktürk-2. Several hundred students were staging a protest at his presence when they were attacked by the police, resulting in clashes and injuries.
 
Erdoğan slammed the attitude of the media following the clashes between police forces and students protesting his visit to the campus.
 
"The media have been patting the backs of those students for the past 10 days," Erdoğan said. "They are acting like [the students'] lawyers. They bless that protest. And then as if all of that isn't enough, the leader of the opposition comes forth and praises the violence, inciting it."
 
Professors teach violence: PM
 
Erdoğan then directed his criticism toward ODTÜ's teaching staff.
 
"There are stones in bags, and Molotov cocktails. People were burning tires on campus. I wonder, have the academics of this school taught students to do such things? How to burn tires, how to make a Molotov cocktail? That's what they have been taught,” he said.
 
The prime minister moved on to slam the opposition party, accusing them of "hiding behind students after handing them Molotov cocktails."
 
"The Republican People's Party [CHP] calls on people to resist on the streets at every chance," Erdoğan said. "They attempt to do this through students. In the same way the Peace and Democracy Party [BDP] hides behind kids after handing them rocks, the CHP hides behind students after handing them Molotov cocktails."