Seren Serengil’den Bakan Yerlikaya’ya Eleştiri: Her Şeyi Kısıtlıyorsunuz

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s university diploma being revoked due to “Non-existence” and “Clear error” reasons led to a series of events. The process continued with Imamoğlu’s detention on March 19. Following Imamoğlu’s detention, some metro stations in Istanbul were closed and social media bandwidth restrictions were implemented. Imamoğlu’s detention caused a great impact both in our country and worldwide. Reactions increased every minute, and numerous protests were held nationwide. Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel addressed tens of thousands gathered in Saraçhane. After Özgür Özel’s words, “They say I am calling for street demonstrations; yes, yes, yes,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reacted. Minister Yerlikaya said, “Calling people to the streets or squares is, to put it mildly, ‘irresponsible.’ No one can bear the burden of stirring up the streets; neither politically, legally, nor morally! I address the protestors: Do not fall into the trap of provocateurs infiltrating among you! Our police officers are on duty 24/7 to ensure the peace and security of our esteemed nation.” TV host Seren Serengil also made a notable statement regarding the issue.

“EVERYTHING IS BEING RESTRICTED”

Seren Serengil shared 3 videos on her social media account addressing Minister Yerlikaya, saying, “You are restricting everything.” In the video, Serengil expressed her reaction towards her followers, animal haters, and the silent art community with the following statements:

“So, we have never heard so much from our parents ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ I mean, you don’t want anything, you are restricting everything. Then you say, ‘You are living so freely, who bothers you?’ Yes! Someone is bothering me right now. You say, ‘What are you doing on the street?’ You say dogs shouldn’t be on the street, you should not be either. You say don’t write on social media. Many people do their work online, and you slow down the internet, slow down the metro. You do this, you do that. I don’t understand why you are doing all of this.

Do you think people, many artists, business people, athletes are not speaking out because they agree with you? No, they are not speaking out because they are afraid. For example, right now, I am not given any work, no channel is hiring me. I don’t care, there are already disgraceful programs, I don’t want them. But, then those who support you will find work, those who do not support you will not find work. It leads to hate and resentment against you, and people will end up in jail for that, they won’t share what’s happening on social media, won’t hold rallies, won’t express their opinions, dogs will be collected. We will sit at home. Can such a thing happen, for God’s sake? Can such a thing happen?

Please try to love people. Even if they are not like you. I have tried to love many people who are not like me in my life, and I loved them. You should try too. This lack of love evokes evilness.

I am someone who knows nothing about politics, my political knowledge is really zero. I looked your name up ten times just to be able to say it. Because I don’t care, for the first time in 20 years, I’m shooting a video against you. It has been too much! My artist friends cannot speak, but know that everyone has the same opinion. They are afraid they will lose their jobs.

I don’t care, someone has to say it. I beg you, I will not tell you whether I like the form of your political battle, but please treat us a little more humanely.”