Students at the Bogazici University in Istanbul began their protests nearly a month ago, saying the appointment of Melih Bulu as rector was undemocratic. Teachers at Bogazici have also protested Bulu's swearing-in.
Protesters chanting slogans such as "Police, get out" and "Universities are ours" clashed and scuffled with the police on Monday.
In a statement, the Istanbul Governor's office said 159 people had later been detained for "not ending the demonstrations in front of the Bogazici University despite warnings," and added that an investigation had been launched.
Earlier, more than 100 police gathered at the main entrance of the campus. They allowed university students to enter, checking their IDs, but told others to leave, including several politicians, mainly from the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party
...every time you hear the phrase white people,
white supremacy,
whiteanything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word
(Thomas) Nastyto the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects...
(HDP).
Sidewalks next to the roads leading up to the university were fenced off, and minor scuffles broke out as some protesters began chanting and walking toward the police barricade.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), criticised the detentions late on Monday on Twitter, calling on Bulu to resign to end "this ugly situation".
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, also from the CHP, said he had spoken with authorities to establish dialogue between them and the protesters, adding he would meet with Bogazici students on Tuesday to hear their concerns.
Bulu, who has applied to be a candidate for Erdogan's ruling AK Party in a 2015 parliamentary election, was the first rector chosen from outside a university since a military coup in
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
in 1980, Bogazici faculty members have said.
The protesters have also been demanding the release of four people who were tossed into the calaboose after images were shared on social media of them laying a picture on the ground that mixed sacred Islamic iconography with symbols supporting LGBT issues.