For the record, and I know I'm not the first to say it, this woman committed NO crime. She didn't overstay a visa, she didn't protest illegally. She wrote something the administration didn't like.
For that, she was arrested by 8 masked officers in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. She was thrown in the back on an unmarked SUV. She's received no legal representation. No trial. Not even charges, because again, she committed no crime.
Americans, you realize you're watching the death of your rights and the rule of law, right? You have no illusions about the fact that you are defenseless? There is no longer any guardrail between you and an El Salvadoran prison camp. In something that reminds me very much of Stalin, an accusation is now a conviction.
Defenseless is a good word, it seems like we're all just waiting for a savior to show up and rescue us. It doesn't help that a large amount of Americans see protest as pointless right now. What it feels like is the bystander effect on a national level.
The worst part is how many people either support or just brush it off.
After all that trashing of Russians and why they do not fight against their government, the world gets to see that Americans are basically the same: so many fall for the dumbest possible propaganda and the rest is either afraid or apathetic.
She also had her visa revoked so can no longer legally stay in the USA to complete her studies, or enter again. This was because she wrote an op-ed disapproving of Israel's genocide.
Ozturk’s lawyer later said she hadn’t been able to contact her and had no idea of her whereabouts.
America, the land of the free... Right?
Remember when conservatives were all like fear mongering that Obama was going to do this to them? It was always projection.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson later claimed Ozturk “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization.” The person said Ozturk, who is from Turkey, had had her student visa revoked.
To be perfectly clear, Ozturk is not accused of breaking the law. The Department of Homeland Security hasn’t bothered to explain its reasoning, but several outlets reported that Ozturk co-authored a student opinion piece urging Tufts to recognize the International Court of Justice’s declaration of a “plausible risk of genocide” unfolding in Gaza and to divest from Israel. You can read the article if you like. It does not mention Hamas.
WT actual F? A school opinion piece gets you disappeared??
This is the Thought Police, brought to you by the people who invoke 1984 when their putrid opinions get called out on the internet.
This is terrifying. Anybody can pretend to be ICE and kidnap in broad daylight.
What was fascinating, or perhaps horrific is a better word, about the article that I didn't know about is the brief mention of "The Canary Mission"
Here's from their about page:
Canary Mission documents individuals and organizations that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses and beyond. Canary Mission investigates hatred across the entire political spectrum, including the far right, far left and anti-Israel activists.
Canary Mission is motivated by a desire to combat the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses. We pursue our mission by presenting the words and deeds of individuals and organizations that engage in anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry on the far right, far left and among the array of organizations that comprise the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Essentially they gather dossiers on private individuals that they claim are anti-semitic. So, I looked up the woman that was taken off the street like a Ukrainian draft-dodger.
https://canarymission.org/individual/Rumeysa_Ozturk
Rumeysa Ozturk engaged in anti-Israel activism in March 2024, in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023.
Ozturk is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
What was the anti-Israel activism, you ask? I figured it was some sort of protest. Sort of like the one in New York where they occupied a building.
Nope
On March 26, 2024, Ozturk co-authored an op-ed published in the Tufts Daily newspaper titled: "Try again, President Kumar: Renewing calls for Tufts to adopt March 4 TCU Senate resolutions." The authors urged "President Kumar and the Tufts administration to meaningfully engage with and actualize the resolutions passed by the Senate."
The op-ed referred to the passing of anti-Israel resolutions by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, which demanded the University "...acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments, and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel."
At Tufts university, the Community Union Senate (not really sure what this is. a student council or something) passed a 3/5ths majority resolution urging the president of the university to
-
acknowledge the Palestinian genocide
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apologize for some statements, I don't know what
-
disclose its investments
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divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel
She co-wrote an op-ed essentially demanding the president follow the resolution that was passed. That's the "anti-Israel activism" she's guilty of. I suppose that's enough to be deported. Be careful out there guys. If you aren't a citizen, shut up about your political views until you are. Because there are eyes out there watching everything you do. Even if you are.. consider what you are doing. You may be making an enemy of a vindictive state that is willing to break the rules.
Here's the op-ed, in case you're interested: https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2024/03/4ftk27sm6jkj
These resolutions were the product of meaningful debate by the Senate and represent a sincere effort to hold Israel accountable for clear violations of international law. Credible accusations against Israel include accounts of deliberate starvation and indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinian civilians and plausible genocide.
Lock 'em up, I guess. If you believe that Palestinian civilians have a right to life then you are a terrorist-sympathizer in this administration's opinion.
Look at their body language.
These aren't law enforcement professionals detaining a suspect.
These are Nazi Brown Shirt thugs ganging up on a fucking PhD student.
This country is nosediving HARD. Arm yourselves. I would never allow plain-clothed thugs to push me into an unmarked van and take me to a secondary location. You are fighting for your life at that point for all you know.
As much as I agree, resisting is likely going to escalate the situation beyond what most people are willing to deal with.
Face it, very few people have the knowledge and skill required to even put up a fight against anyone that is prepared for that encounter.
I get why the victim here didn't really fight back. I get why she let them take her away. I understand the fear she was probably feeling in that moment, and it can be paralysing for someone who isn't prepared to fight for their life and doesn't have the knowledge, skill, or experience required to handle the situation.
To be clear: I'm not saying this victim is dumb, inexperienced, or lacks general life experience, I would argue quite the opposite, in fact. The problem is that they don't have the knowledge, skill, and experience with confrontations. I'm certain, beyond any doubt, that this person was very intelligent, skilled and experienced; just not with physical confrontation.
This is shameful behavior. Why did they feel the need to ambush a bookworm? Not to insult them so all but they are clearly more of an intellectual person than a combative person.
Disclaimer: I'm not American, I'm just empathetic to those that get disappeared in the middle of the day by people wearing all black without so much as a badge being flashed.
“We’re the police. Relax”
“We’re the SS. Be very afraid”. There, FTFY
Legit, from her perspective, this is no different from a human trafficking kidnapping, this is the shit my wife has taken classes to learn to defend herself from, it's only a matter of time before someone defends themselves (unknownly assaulting an officer and assuredly setting off some punitive, authoritarian political bullshit)
Literally disappearing people off the street
Didn't the U.S. fight a war against a country and its leader who did the same shit? I was never very proud to be an American because this country has done some fucked up shit since 1776. But this is downright terrifying to me as someone who is disabled and considered a parasite by Elon because if they aren't stopped after this then it's game over for any "non-white" people, LGBTQ+, and poor people in general to be disappeared.
This may be why they want Greenland so bad 🤔
What else was the alternative? A mixed-race woman as President?
This isn’t about race, it’s about class, at least for the demographics that the democrats are targeting. Kamala is mixed race but she represents the interests of the owning class and she just did absolutely nothing to sway votes in her favor. Trump is arguably much worse, but people should stop pretending a white candidate would have won over republican voters.
From 1933 to 1934 in 3 months. Clock is ticking dear american people.

AP's article mentions that Ozturk was posted on this website, https://canarymission.org/
After the op-ed was published, Ozturk’s name, photograph and work history were published on the website Canary Mission, which describes itself as documenting people who “promote hatred of the U.S.A., Israel and Jews on North American college campuses.”
'Tis a spooky place. No names, none of the articles have bylines, contact is just a webform, domain registration is anonymized, donation link is being washed thru some company called RTech Digital Marketing out of India.
Really got me wondering, who the fuck are these people and why do they seem to have ICE's ear.
If you see this start filming and get them to shout their name. This is not how an arrest is done in a normal country. This is how you disappear people and how militias can fake being police to abduct and kill people.
Yup.
If plain-clothed thugs try to push me into an unmarked van I have to assume I need to start fighting for my life. I don't give a fuck who they say they are. If you are who you are, wear a uniform, act professional, and show me identification.
Everyone needs to purchase a firearm and start training.
If you are in America and are expressing pro-Palestinian views online regardless of your citizenship status, you should be seriously considering yourself a legitimate target for arrest or abduction by the state. If you haven’t already, it is essential to assess your security posture and take action as required.
If you need a starting point, take a look at the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s surveillance self-defense guide: https://ssd.eff.org/
Please be safe.
This is horrifying. This person broke no laws. If Trump is doing this to valid green card holders for exercising their first amendment rights, then we are one degree of separation from Trump doing this to U.S. citizens who criticize him.
It's only going to continue getting worse. Make an exit plan if you haven't already.
Legally speaking if some one interfered or resisted wouldn't they be justified? No clear sign they are the law and they refuse to identify themselves
A legal defense can easily be mounted. If they did not identify themselves as police officers, or had any proof of being police, you are clear to use lethal force. The victim had all right to believe that they are a victim of first degree kidnapping, a crime with a punishment that is 2nd only to 1st degree murder in US law.
Their conduct is not one you would expect of law enforcement. So I will say it. Shoot. Shoot to kill.
What would happen to a bystander who physically intervened, but then was overwhelmed? Could they be get assaulting a federal officer charge, or would that be dropped because they do not show proper identification? Asking for humanity
Yes.
Remember, the Nazis executed a college girl, by beheading, for handing out flyers.
Brown shirts would kill Jews on the streets.
ICE has been turned into the SS.
MAGAts are Nazis, expect them to behave like Nazis.
That's terrifying. That is absolutely terrifying. Unidentified, masked people in all black kidnapping people right off the street in unmarked cars.
This is a fantastic way to get cops shot and killed in the street. Please, PLEASE try this shit in Oakland or Los Angeles I am begging you.
I saw the video and it’s terrifying. Out of nowhere she’s gone and no one can contact her. Hopefully this video is a catalyst for a huge brain drain from America.
The government revoked Tufts doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk's visa due to her pro-Palestinian activism, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who added the State Department may have revoked more than 300 student visas since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
"It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa," Rubio said during a press conference in Guyana on Thursday.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/tufts-students-visa-revoked-due-activism-rubio/story?id=120226954
Reminder that anyone can get some handcuffs and claim to be the police.
If you see someone bring abducted it is your responsibility to interfere.
We've become so complacent. A unified community would have intervened, violently if necessary. I would love nothing more than to see a crowd of folks popping out of houses and cars and surrounding these terrorists at gunpoint.
Our inner child will refuse to believe this, but history has shown us that fascists cannot be stopped peacefully.
Concealed carry might be our only real defense in the future
I implore you to go search "Ozturk" on YouTube. A video from the NY Post comes up. Read the comments. I cannot believe the reaction of such an un-empathetic population.
This is inexcusable. Permanent residents of this country are historically entitled to the first amendment.
If they can change that precedent, then there's little standing in the way of anyone else.
Can we stop talking about "we should, we should"? Who is actually doing?
The time for talk was over November 4th, but it is beyond over now - arm yourself, period.
Where are the community resources for community building and fighting against ICE tactics - this is what the internet is for? Who is running the underground railroad? Why are every single one of us not educated on TOR and VPNs? Who are we primarying? What are the plans for removing propaganda from our real life communities?
There are no accessible answers to these questions - this is unacceptable, and we get this in order now. No one is coming to save us, we must do it ourselves. We have a 2 month window between now and when the most in-person activity will happen (summer).
P.S. Everyone screams at the gun owners and politicians about why they won't do anything. But why would they? They'll basically throw their lives away for nothing - especially when the people they claim to fight for are so fucking spineless.
If this woman can have her First Amendment RIGHT stripped and arrested in the street by plain clothes, and every single person in this country isn't rioting, guns and laws will not fix it.
P.S P.S If you are not from America and are in a relatively free country, one of the best things you can do is host the resources for fighting the Nazis. American companies, individuals, and organization are automatically compromised.
If are an American, create an onion service or host using an EU VPS and domain registar.
Remember the outrage when stuff like that happens in China?
Ever since living there a few years back, I keep saying how your two countries are so fucking similar, and it getting truer every day.
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