Tensions in Turkey: Protest against Hafiz graduation ceremony in Zonguldak
[96512] Tensions in Turkey: Protest against Hafiz graduation ceremony in Zonguldak
Clashes erupted in the city of Zonguldak, Turkey, following a religious ceremony for Hafiz graduation, as secular groups protested the students' conduct in front of the Atatürk statue.
Tensions in Turkey: Protest against Hafiz graduation ceremony in Zonguldak
Religious-secular tension was recorded in the city of Zonguldak, Turkey, following a Hafiz (Quran memorizer) graduation ceremony organized by the local Mufti's office. According to reports, the event sparked opposition from secular groups who claimed that the students at the ceremony showed a lack of respect for national symbols.
The channel Daily Islamist, which is associated with conservative Islamist positions, reported that a "Kemalist minority group" held a march in the city and chanted slogans against Sharia. According to the claims, the protest was sparked because the students at the ceremony sat with their backs turned to the statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
On the other hand, the channel DoğruHaber, which presents an Islamist line, described the event as an act by secular elements who "lost their minds" in the face of the children's exposure to Hafiz. According to this report, the opposing group protested against the very existence of the graduation ceremony and even held a demonstration in front of the Atatürk monument in the city.
Both sides present opposing narratives to the event: while the Islamist channels see the protest as an attack on religion and the traditional ceremony, the secular protesters see the students' behavior as a violation of the values of Turkey's modern and secular state.