Tensions at La Sapienza University: Students and Police Clash Over Occupation

Tensions between students and police forces at La Sapienza University in Rome. The problems occurred when a group of young people tried to enter the Rectorate building where the assembly of Collectives that occupied the structure last night is taking place. There were some shoves between the protesters and the police forces. In front of the entrance of the Rectorate, the young people shouted 'shame shame' and sang chants against Israel, the police forces, and the rector Antonella Polimeni. Yesterday, about eighty collective members managed to enter the rectorate of the university city. In the main hall, a huge banner with the words 'Sapienza for Palestine, stop genocide stop agreements', an image published on the social pages of the collective Cambiare rotta which, together with Zaum, Coordination of collectives, and Front of the communist youth, initiated the action. 'This is the last of the steps with which we have carried forward the mobilization alongside the Palestinian population,' say some of the students - about thirty - who, blocked by the Digos, were unable to enter and remained for hours outside the barred doors of the building. Those inside were instead allowed to stay overnight between the inside and outside of the main hall. The students demand a stop to participation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' tender and agreements with Israeli universities and the military industry. 'We ask that the rector Antonella Polimeni meet the student population at 12 tomorrow (today, ed.) and then open the academic senate at 14 in order to bring our issues,' says Zeudi of the collective Zaum. 'Since October - he explains - within La Sapienza, we have asked that there be the possibility to express ourselves alongside the Palestinian people, both in terms of a public declaration by the rector and in terms of withdrawal from the Maeci tender.' 'It is not the first time we have asked for a confrontation on this issue, but we have always been ignored. The moment was propitious. The refusal of the University of Turin to participate in the tender and the announcement of the resignation of the rector of the University of Bari from his position in Med-Or, demonstrate that our mobilizations bear some fruit,' says Giacomo of the Coordination of collectives, explaining that within the Roman university there is 'also a committee of professors who are mobilizing in the same direction.' BERNINI: SUPPORT TO THE RECTORS 'Total support to rectors Polimeni and Delfino. The occupation of the rectorate of La Sapienza and the aggression towards the rector of the University of Genoa are disqualifying actions that go well beyond the free expression of thought or peaceful protest. Universities are not free zones where intimidation can be carried out or crimes committed. The violence that some collectives are imposing on the entire academic community is intolerable and sees students as its main victims. I strongly condemn what is happening and thank the police forces for their support.' This was stated by the Minister of University Bernini. Sapienza, the rectorate occupied. 'Stop agreements with Tel Aviv, the rector must listen to us' The reply of the university 'In reference to the requests made by some students who have occupied some environments of the Rectorate in the last few hours, in reiterating the firmest condemnation of any form of violence and illegal and anti-democratic action, the university is available, as it has always been, to discuss any instances of the student community provided they arrive in a shared manner through their representation in the bodies and do not harm democratic principles and the rights and freedoms of others,' emphasizes the rector of Sapienza University of Rome, Antonella Polimeni. 'Sapienza recognizes as instruments of communication and decision those defined by laws and regulations, informed by the norms of civil coexistence that guide the country - she concludes - The statute of Sapienza provides the university with decision-making bodies composed of elected representatives of the different components of the academic community, who bring the voice and opinions of the represented subjects into the bodies.' THE STUDENTS 'Very serious at La Sapienza, the police want to prevent students from entering the occupied Rectorate for the student assembly against the complicity of La Sapienza with Israel and push and beat the students. Again. This is the climate of repression in the country against those who raise their voice against the crimes of Israel. The students have beaten the repression and are now inside the occupied rectorate for the assembly,' the Sapienza student collectives state in a note. 'Following the example of the struggle of the students of Bari and Turin, Polimeni must resign from MedOr, the Sapienza University must not participate in the Maeci Tender, any complicity with Israel must be broken. The struggle continues.'