Previously, DogTime told you about Boji, the independent pup who cruises the Istanbul transportation system of his own volition.
Now, it seems that Boji has found himself caught in the middle of Turkey’s polarized political climate, with one side of it attempting to frame him.
Apparently, politics in Turkey is volatile enough for dog poop to be thrown, or in this case, placed intentionally to frame poor Boji.
But Why? Who Would Do That To Boji?
İBB’nin kadrolu köpeği BOJİ tramvaya pisledi. pic.twitter.com/kqViWUhtFs
— Sağdan Haber (@sagdanhaber) November 19, 2021
On November 19th, reports Al-Monitor, a patron of the Turkey tramway posted a photo to social media that ignited the incident. The photo showed dog poop left on a train seat and blamed Boji and the Istanbul Municipality that mostly leaves him to his travels.
Currently, they stand in opposition to the AKP, the Justice and Development Party. The poster of the photo runs a pro-AKP blog.
Given Boji’s popularity on Twitter, plenty of users sprang to his defense. Others, though, jumped on the political bandwagon and cracked jokes about the state of the transportation system.
Some, even said that Boji was “spoiled” and received too much “attention.” Sounds like jealousy, to me.
Don’t Worry, This Pup Is Innocent
Boji’nin tramvaya kaka yaptığı iddia edilmişti. Ama kameralar bize bu akıl almaz görüntüleri gösterdi, izleyin. pic.twitter.com/xLnDH7cjOb
— Murat Ongun (@Mrt_Ongun) November 20, 2021
Boji’s official Twitter account released an immediate statement. “I was at the shelter the whole day with my trainer,” they wrote. “Someone planted feces to frame me. How wicked can you get?”
Soon after that, Murat Ongun, an Instanbul Municipality spokesperson, posted a video to Twitter. In this new video, we see a man planting some kind of feces on the tram seat from a little, plastic bag.
Of course, Boji retweeted this video, saying, “I was ashamed on the behalf of the man when I saw the images.”
Seyda Taluk, the author of How to Win Elections, seems to know what we’re all thinking. “The framing of Boji looks like a not-so-smart attempt to defame Imamoglu,” she said.
“But irrespective of whether it was a political framing or not, it will go down in political communications as an epic fail that has backfired.”
Taluk further commented to Al-Monitor about the strength of animal rights in Turkey. It’s one of their most organized movements. Attempting to go up against it is, as Taluk put it, “counterproductive.”
Boji May Have, However, Become A Target
Meanwhile, in Istanbul…A beloved street dog named Boji, who became a folk hero for riding public transit, was slandered by some for pooping on the trains. Turns out, Boji is being framed, and video shows people planting the poop. https://t.co/ELaijUWP4J pic.twitter.com/hDJU2UbnWF
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) November 20, 2021
While someone obviously framed the innocent dog, the Istanbul Municipality doesn’t seem too keen on risking any further targeting of Boji.
Ongun told Al-Monitor that they’re currently looking for a place for Boji to permanently reside, “ideally with a large garden.”
Apparently, a local science academy has expressed interest, saying, “we have no tramway, but we will carry him on our back.”
Given how beloved and well-known Boji is in Turkey, we have no doubt that his many admirers will keep a close and inquisitive eye on where he ends up.
Can you believe that someone tried to frame Boji over politics? What would you do if you found out someone did this in the United States? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
