Beyazıt massacre
| Beyazıt Massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Political violence in Turkey, 1970s | |
| Location | Beyazıt Square, Istanbul Turkey |
| Coordinates | 41°00′40″N 28°57′46″E / 41.01104°N 28.96269°E |
| Date | 16 March 1978 |
| Target | Left-wing students |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Injured | 41 |
| Perpetrators | Grey Wolves |
The Beyazıt massacre (Turkish: Beyazıt katliamı) or 16 March massacre (Turkish: 16 Mart katliamı) of 16 March 1978 was the massacre of students at Istanbul University, in which 7 died and 41 were injured in a bomb-and gun attack. The head of the Istanbul branch of the Grey Wolves, Orhan Çakıroğlu, was sentenced to 11 years in 1980; he was released on appeal in 1982. After the 30-year statute of limitations expired the mother of one of the shooters admitted his involvement, and said he had received orders from a police officer. A witness said the police did not pursue the attackers at the scene.