Students throw shoe at Turkish minister
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
AA photo
Security officials took four students under custody after they threw a shoe at Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar, while he was delivering a speech at Istanbul’s Okan University today.“We exposed once more their passion for profiteering, which they are trying to cover up with excuses such as sustainable urban development, urban welfare and earthquake [preparedness],” said a statement by the student group “Youth Opposition,” which organized the protest.
Among the participants at the panel, called “Urban Transformation and the Search for an Alternative Model,” were Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş and real estate moghul Ali Ağaoğlu, according to daily BirGün.
“The shoe that turned into a nightmare for Burhan Kuzu and the president of the IMF found Environment Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar this time around. Shoes will keep finding them for as long as they continue dragging our country into dark tunnels, commercialize our public spaces and [offer up their services] to imperialism,” the statements said.
The Youth Opposition also promised to turn every part of the country into an arena to keep fighting against the reign of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Fethullah Gülen religious community.
