Twitter has reprimanded a Turkish minister who has called protesting students “LGBTI abnormals” in a message. The Turkish minister wrote that tweet after weeks of mounting tension around Bogazici University in Istanbul, where the Erdogan regime recently pushed through the appointment of a straw man as rector, much to the dismay of many students.
On Monday, protesting students angered the conservative AK Party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by posting images on social media that combined LGBTI and Islamic symbols, including the Kaaba, the holiest place for Muslims. “Should we tolerate the LGBTI abnormals that insult our great Kaaba? Of course not,” Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu tweeted.
Twitter then warned Soylu that his message violated policy on hateful statements. The platform did not take down the message because its preservation is in the public interest.
Demonstrations against new rector
Students and teachers from Bogazici University in the progressive metropolis of Istanbul have been demonstrating for over a month against the appointment of Erdogan ally Melih Bulu as rector. The police arrested 159 protesters on Monday evening who planned to demonstrate in front of the new rector’s office all night. On Tuesday, 61 of them were still detained.
On Tuesday, academics gathered again for a demonstration on the campus grounds. There they stood with their backs to the rector’s office in protest.
Twitter refuses to comply with Turkish social media law
Twitter’s action against Minister Soylu comes at a sensitive time. Twitter recently refused to comply with a new Turkish social media law, which requires such companies to appoint a Turkish representative who is responsible for the removal of content ordered by the regime and who can be held accountable by the authorities.
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