ISTANBUL — Ongoing student-led protests that have seen more than 300 people detained this week were denounced by several top Turkish officials Wednesday. In some of his most heated remarks on the demonstrations yet, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan likened protesting students to terrorists, saying state officials would not tolerate the escalating unrest that has sparked sometimes violent rallies in a number of Turkish cities.
"Are you students or terrorists who dare to raid the room of the rector?" Erdogan asked during a videoconference Wednesday, referring to demonstrations at Istanbul’s Bogazici University Monday, when students rallied near the government-appointed rector’s office to call for his resignation.