Protest against rector at METU graduation ceremony
Middle East Technical University's 70th graduation ceremony made headlines due to protests by students and attendees against the rector, as well as a performance by the band Athena. Athena lead singer Gökhan Özoğuz's remarks regarding Deniz Göktaş also drew attention.
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At the 70th graduation ceremony held at Middle East Technical University (METU), students staged an unusual protest during Rector Ahmet Yozgatlıgil’s speech. Some students turned their backs to the stage and held their chairs in the air to express their reaction. It was observed that the stands filled with those following the graduation ceremony joined in the protest, with booing heard while the rector was speaking on stage.
Another notable aspect of this year's ceremony was that the band Athena became the first artists to perform at a METU graduation ceremony. During the concert, which saw high attendance, Athena's lead singer Gökhan Özoğuz made a statement regarding the recent controversial remarks about comedian Deniz Göktaş, who was arrested in previous months due to his stand-up show titled "Ölü Deniz" (Dead Sea).
Regarding Göktaş, whom he noted was a METU graduate, Özoğuz stated: "Deniz Göktaş is a graduate from here. I was angry at what he said about Atatürk, but my friends told me to listen to the rest. No one should be arrested because of their jokes," he said.