Students camp at University of Barcelona in support of Palestine
Protesters will consider extending action until election day on Sunday
Around 70 students camped overnight at the University of Barcelona cloister in support of Palestine.
The protest started on Monday afternoon when they installed some tents and announced their mobilization against the "genocide suffered by Palestinians."
“I came in solidarity with the University of Barcelona students. Knowing that various academic institutions are complicit in supporting different groups and organizations tied with Israel, I decided yesterday to join the encampment,” an English student at another university in Barcelona, Frankie Jobson, told Catalan News.
“The goal is to uplift Palestinian voices, let them know we're here, we're not going anywhere and we stand with the Palestinian people. Our goal is just to spread love, spread community and show that as a community we can do anything,” American protester Jasmine Chetri told this news outlet.
“We are strong together, nothing is going to break us, nothing is going to break our spirits,” Jasmine added.
Protest potentially extends until Sunday
Students confirmed on Tuesday morning that they will spend at least one more night. On Wednesday, there will be an extraordinary students' meeting at the UB, during which they will urge the university board of members to support a ceasefire and break relations with Israel and those companies backing the country led by PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It’s important to show that we are no longer willing to stand by while the university, by which we are being taught how we should behave, is complicit in the genocide of Palestinian people,” Toni, a student and protester, told Catalan News.
The students are already considering extending the protest until Sunday if the university does not comply but have a daily assembly in the afternoon to discuss the continuation of the protest.
“The end goal is for the university to completely cut all ties with Israeli universities because their academic sphere is explicitly complicit in the genocide by providing assistance and research,” Toni said.
“I am willing to stay here as long as it takes,” he added.
“I think us students and teachers, many of us are really angry and being on the streets right now doesn't seem to be enough so we need to shout louder in different ways and target the universities more directly,” Frankie said.
Despite the 70 students sleeping at the University of Barcelona, in the center of the Catalan capital, classes were unaffected and begun, as their will is for the protest not to interfere with the lessons.
Promoters want similar actions to take place in other UB buildings and in other Catalan universities. In fact, some of the students are from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF).
The CCOO labor union has shown its support via a written statement and celebrated that students are "the stepping stone" of mobilizations pro-peace and calling to end armed conflicts.
“Students have barely been on the wrong side of history. Everyone says that the students are here to save us and now it's time to listen,” Jasmine said.
“I'm here today, to stand up for the people of Palestine when they have been silenced for 75 years,” she added.
Student and teachers demands
On Tuesday, members of the university’s student council and teachers announced their demands during a press conference.
They are demanding for the university’s governing council to “break all ties” with Israel and “stand openly against the genocide” in Gaza.
“We are calling for the university’s community to show solidarity with the Palestinian people," Marta Venceslao, professor at the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona said.
At the moment, the management of the University is allowing the encampment and the rector has assured that his intention is "to support these types of initiatives, while ensuring pluralism, coexistence and respect for the ordinary activities of the university."
On Sunday May 12, the Catalan election will take place and the university’s building will be used as a polling station. “It doesn’t interfere with the demonstration,” student council member Pablo Castilla said.