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A video shared on TikTok by three Turkish Erasmus students has drawn widespread attention after the students described what it said was a racist verbal encounter in Sweden.
Speaking in Turkish in the video, the students explained that the incident took place while they were eating with three foreign friends at a burger restaurant.
Although the video quickly gained traction online, one of the students, Ceren Kavukcu, declined to comment further when contacted by Türkiye Today.
According to the students’ account, the group had been sitting and eating when an unidentified man approached them without warning.
The man reportedly asked three members of the group, in English, whether they were Turkish. The students said that although there were six people at the table, the man focused specifically on the three Turkish individuals.
One of the students explained that she initially assumed the man was trying to communicate in Turkish or offer help, especially after he said he would switch languages.
However, they described his Turkish as unusual and said his tone quickly shifted.
The students recounted that the man went on to deliver a series of statements they perceived as discriminatory. Among the remarks highlighted in the translated video was the statement, "My Swedish friends and I, we don’t want you here.”
He also allegedly told them to return to their “Asian country” after completing their studies and added phrases such as “We hate you” and “Don’t stay.”
As the situation unfolded, the students said they struggled to process what was happening. Some initially thought the man might be joking, but they later concluded that his behavior appeared deliberate and not isolated.
They described feeling shocked and uneasy, adding that they chose to leave the venue shortly afterward. One student said she considered recording the incident but was too nervous to do so at the time.
The group also expressed concern about potential consequences if they had reacted more strongly, suggesting that, as international students they felt vulnerable and unsure of how authorities might respond.
After the video circulated widely on TikTok, it sparked discussion across social media platforms. Despite the growing attention, the students involved have opted not to expand on their statements publicly.
Ceren Kavukcu, one of the individuals in the video, confirmed that she preferred not to engage further or have the incident republished elsewhere.
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