On 17th October 2024 the Präsidium building was occupied by protesters. [1] Some of us in the AStA (student representative body) have observed the events and recognize the reaction of the Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin as another failure to capture the complexity of the events. While we do condemn violence, we are also concerned that this narrative may be instrumentalized to enable further repressive measures against student protests that question the status quo. This had also been the case with legitimate protests in the past. Therefore, we want to share our perspective that is based on our observations, analyses as well as talks with other students and staff members on site.
Our observations of the events
On 17th October 2024 at 13:00h, we were outside the Präsidium building and witnessed an occupation taking place. The first thing we saw was a big banner hanging out of the window stating, “IF COPS ENTER THE BUILDING THE TECHNIK WILL BE DESTROYED.” In addition, we heard voices asking people inside to leave. Some of the workers were gathering in front of the building. One of them was agitated, threatening observing students, including us, with disenrollment (“Wait till I disenroll you”). Among the other workers, we saw two visibly shaken (“I am just trying to do my job for your sake”). Overall, there was a wide range of reactions. After a few minutes police arrived and the university administration allowed them to enter the building. We did not witness any attempt to engage the occupiers in a dialog prior to allowing the police to enter the building around 13:15h. Roughly 15 - 40 occupiers, as stated by Tagesschau [2], ran away, one of them was brutally thrown to the ground by at least three policemen and later three others were caught, one of which appeared to be a bystander. Medics were present and took care of the protesters hurt by the police. We did not see any other ambulances or medics.
The Safety of Workers
We understand that members of university staff were scared an overwhelmed when met with this unprecedented situation. It must have been difficult for staff members to assess the situation and potential threat to themselves and their colleagues. Politics of care are central to the work of the AStA. This approach centers on prioritizing care, interdependence, and mutual responsibility within our university. Therefore, we take injury of students and staff very seriously and are committed to their well-being, rights, dignity and safety.
The Context of the Attempted Occupation
Over the past year, students have organized different forms of protests: sit-ins, die-ins, two lecture hall occupations and two camps, demanding FU to end its complicity in the genocide in Gaza, for example with an academic boycott and the implementation of a civil clause. The Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin did not respond in a meaningful way; instead, they stalled by engaging students, including us, in futile conversations, while simultaneously intimidating activists with ongoing trespassing charges.
The Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin reminds us of the importance of its “dialog culture”, but this insistence rings hollow when they show no interest to engage in a meaningful dialog where it is urgently needed. This is also part of the context in which this attempted occupation must be seen. On that note we would also like to point out how the Executive Board has been trying to pressure our statement into a direction that fits their narrative, i.e. it has been restricting us in our most fundamental function, by refusing to send out our annual information email to all students unless we openly condemn the occupation, and side with the Executive Board. This directly obstructs our duty to inform all students of important matters.
The Executive Board’s Reaction to the Attempted Occupation
The statement by the Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin indicates that there were violations. We saw graffiti sprayed in front of the building and on its exterior. We also talked with some staff members, to inquire whether or not there had been aggression. The staff members we talked to did not report any instances of physical violence being used against them. Same cannot be said for the occupiers and the students present at the scene. Being surrounded by more than 10 police cars and watching police brutality take place shows once again how little consideration the Executive Board of Freie Universität gives to their students’ psychological and physical safety.
This should not only bring outrage but concern. Excessive police presence on campus has been continuously normalized, along with several measures directed toward the surveillance and curtailment of independent student initiatives: private security on campus grounds, requirements for student-organized events to be held in particular spaces only, and that the names of speakers must be provided in advance, etc. This kind of behavior is a disgrace for any academic institution in a country considered democratic but it has been actively defended by the university on different levels.
We will, however, remind the university of what is obvious: police violence will not shut down the student movement. Neither will authoritarian surveillance, as the Board currently also acknowledges. By framing this action as a violent attack, targeting the whole university, instead of a potentially legitimate protest against the politics of the Executive Board, they further escalated their rhetoric. In doing so, the Executive Board opens up the potential for further criminalization of protest.
In addition to that, such language of alarm and security does not increase a sense of safety – on the contrary, it encourages uncertainty and fear in both staff and students.
We demand from the Executive Board of Freie Universität Berlin: Finally engage in a meaningful dialog and end this spiral of violence and persecution now!
We say to the students: Be vigilant and stand united against oppression.
Sincerely,
Your AStA
[1] As of 28.10.2024, it is not clear whether the masked people were students. deutschlandfunk.de/schadenssumme-nach-angriff-sechsstellig-100.html (28.10.2024)
[2] tagesschau.de/inland/regional/berlin/berlin-eindringen-praesidium-100.html (28.10.2024)