Mié, May 15th 2024
Early morning police action in Bern, ongoing negotiations in Basel, and escalating protests in Zurich highlight a turbulent week for Swiss universities facing ultimatums.
In Bern, early Wednesday morning, police responded to a protest at the Unitobler building where about 30 students had gathered. The students, who were part of a peaceful demonstration, were asked to leave by the university, which had declared their assembly unacceptable. Keystone-SDA reported that these students intended to comply without resistance, ensuring a peaceful resolution to the incident.
At the University of Basel, the approach was more conciliatory. Management extended the deadline for students to leave the Bernoullianum building by twelve hours, following initial resistance to an earlier ultimatum. Swisspeace Director Laurent Goetschel engaged in discussions with the students to explore their concerns, reflecting the university’s willingness to engage in constructive dialogue, provided the building is freed up for its intended academic purposes.
In Zurich, the situation grew more tense as students at the University of Zurich continued their demonstration past a 5 p.m. deadline, refusing to vacate the Lichthof area. The students, advocating for the university to take a stand on human rights violations and calling for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions, drew support from an estimated 200 people.
These series of events at Swiss universities highlight a week filled with demonstrations, dialogues, and police interventions, as students call for their institutions to reassess their positions and investments related to global human rights issues.
©Keystone/SDA
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