Police outside college! UPV guilty! Hundreds of students have mobilized at noon on Thursday under the motto Gasteiz. From the snow they have gone to the faculty of Magisterium and have heard, among others, the following demands: “Fighting is the only way”, “Defending political freedoms” and “Police forces outside the Campus”. Afterwards, they have surrounded the faculty of Pharmacy and exposed the banners that said “UPV/EHU Police Campus” and “guilty Manoli”.

Four significant points of the University’s political proposal for gratuity and political rights launched by Ikasle Abertzaleak have also been made public: free masters, completion of unpaid practices, universalization of financial aid to meet hire costs and expulsion of the University’s police.

The demonstration was completed at the Vicerrectorado where the closing event was held under the supervision of the Ertzaintza. Students accuse the UPV/EHU of “total responsibility for harassment” and point out that the rectorship of the university “is willing to repress any political initiative”. Likewise, and despite the cessation of the Public University that had to stay until Thursday afternoon, they indicate that they will continue to value the “political formation” and “critical thinking” of the students.

In this regard, claiming the “independent organization”, Ikasle Abertzaleak called for a student strike on 20 March.

Background

The Public University is an initiative that the Student Movement has organized for many years and that focuses on reflection, debate and political formation. This year’s edition was held from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon at the Campus of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Araba), suspended by night events on Wednesday. However, in one day eleven issues were analysed: The Palestinian massacre, the ecological issue, the Bolshevik concept of the party, the history of art or the question of women.

According to the students, the UPV has placed them “a year more obstacles”, and the main one is the ban on spending the night in the same university. However, the students decided to face it. By 18:00 in the afternoon, the presence of the Ertzaintza was evident, and by then the organizers identified at least two members. However, students who continued the program and opted for the Faculty of Letters, as told ARGIA June Eguino, member of Ikasle Abertzaleak: “On the one hand, to claim that the closure is part of the Public University, and on the other, to denounce police persecution.”

“There has been no possibility of dialogue”

Around 21:15 p.m. they learned that the UPV/EHU had given the eviction order. However, they decided to follow “firmly” there, according to Eguino, and continue to press the vice-chancellor of the UPV/EHU, “the emptying of the faculty was no other alternative on the table.” Eguino, however, pointed out to ARGIA that the UPV “closed all doors to the debate” and stressed that “there was no possibility of dialogue”.

By 21:30 he joined the school and the students were sitting and supported and stacked on the ground. The young people there alerted, denounced and Gedar collected in images that the Ertzainas had first removed the “personal material” and then forcefully dismantled the block formed by the students. It is also noted that several members were identified.

There were also disturbances abroad, because some young people were expressing their support for those inside. According to the student organization, one of them was wounded by the Ertzaintza.