A unified voice against school attacks: “Enough is enough!”

Following the school attacks that have plunged all of Turkey into mourning, a strong public reaction emerged in Bornova. At the protest organized under the leadership of the Bornova City Council School–Parent Associations Working Group, participants raised a unified call: “Enough is enough!”—demanding urgent and comprehensive measures against violence in education. Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki, along with numerous unions, NGOs, municipal employees, and citizens, supported the demonstration.

Bornova Cumhuriyet Square became the center of this collective response after the attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş. Organized in collaboration with the Bornova City Council School–Parent Associations Working Group and DİSK Genel-İş İzmir Branch No. 7, the protest drew wide participation from unions, professional organizations, civil society groups, and citizens, reflecting its strong societal resonance.

“These tragedies were preventable”

Speaking on behalf of the Working Group, Gökçen Arslan emphasized that schools must be not only places of academic learning but also safe living environments. The statement underlined that school safety cannot be ensured solely through physical measures, but also through guidance services, inclusive school environments, and strong social awareness.

The group stressed that children’s safety is a “non-negotiable priority” and called for immediate action in the following areas:

• Strengthening school security
• Expanding psychosocial support systems
• Early intervention against peer bullying
• Increasing family involvement
• Regulating individual armament
• Enhancing school–community cooperation
• Improving crisis management preparedness
• Promoting media and digital awareness

DİSK: “Feeling sorry is not enough—action is needed”

On behalf of DİSK Genel-İş Branch No. 7, Berrin Burak Bağışçı highlighted that these incidents are not isolated. Referring to the attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş, Bağışçı stated that despite prior warnings, necessary precautions were not taken:
“The issue is not only the moment of attack, but the failure to establish a preventive chain beforehand.”

She called for immediate security measures in educational institutions, emphasizing the importance of taking risk reports seriously, monitoring school entrances and exits, and strengthening psychosocial support systems.

Eğitim Sen: “This is the result of years of flawed policies”

İsmail Akyol, Head of Eğitim Sen Branch No. 4, argued that the education system has long been shaped by non-scientific and non-participatory policies. He pointed out increasing privatization, growing inequality among students, and rising child labor, stressing that violence cannot be prevented without addressing these structural issues.

“We will not get used to this, we will not stay silent”

DİSK Genel-İş İzmir Branch No. 7 President Uğur Nazlıoğlu emphasized that fundamental rights and freedoms are increasingly restricted:
“We will not get used to this darkness.”
He highlighted the importance of social solidarity and the need to strengthen collective action.

Slogans echoed across the square

Throughout the protest, participants repeatedly chanted:
“Enough is enough, we want safe education!”
“We will not surrender to darkness!”
“Living is a right—don’t stay silent, speak out!”
“No salvation alone—either all together or none of us!”

These slogans reflected not only anger but also determination and solidarity.

A powerful message of shared responsibility

The protest stood out not just as a demonstration, but as a strong expression of broad social consensus. Different segments of society, united under the leadership of the City Council, clearly emphasized the need for collective action to ensure the safety of children and education workers.