Protests at universities - Open letter to Wegner: clarify the mission at Humboldt-Universität
Members of the Humboldt University of Berlin (HU) are demanding clarification in an open letter about the police intervention during the clearance of the Institute for Social Sciences. "We are shocked that students, researchers and staff of the HU, who followed the public announcement for a discussion event, were led out of the institute building by the police and recorded by the police", the letter states, which had collected 226 signatures by Thursday morning, among them students and researchers.
Palestinian activists had occupied rooms at the university on May 22 in protest against Israel. The university management initially tolerated this and aimed for a dialogue with the occupiers and researchers. On May 23, the occupation was cleared by the police. The building was severely damaged during the occupation. The inverted triangle, which was used by supporters of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, was smeared on the walls several times.
The discussion event had begun in a respectful and concentrated atmosphere, but then chains of police officers had been deployed on both sides of the only exit, it was stated in the open letter. The signatories, who were mainly affiliated with the HU and the Institute for Social Sciences, demanded answers from the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner (CDU), and the Berlin Senate. They therefore wanted to know, among other things, why the police presence was so large, why the data of persons were recorded who had left the building voluntarily, from whom the President of the HU, Julia von Blumenthal, was instructed to order the clearance, and by whom the instruction to clear was passed on to the police.
According to the letter, 230 people are known to have filed a complaint for trespassing and aggravated trespassing, among them employees and students who were part of the presidium's delegation at the discussion event.
- Kai Wegner, as the Governing Mayor of Berlin, has been requested by the signatories of the open letter to provide clarity on the police operation at Humboldt University (HU).
- The event at HU's Institute for Social Sciences, which aimed to foster dialogue, was disrupted when chains of police officers were deployed, as mentioned in the open letter signed by HU and Institute for Social Sciences affiliates.
- The police intervention during the clearance of the Institute for Social Sciences at HU, which led to students, researchers, and staff being physically removed and recorded, is causing concern among students and researchers from various universities, not just HU.
- The university management's initial tolerance of the occupation by Palestinian activists in protest against Israel eventually led to a police operation that resulted in severe damage to the building and controversy about the large-scale police presence.
- Extremist symbols, such as the inverted triangle used by supporters of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, were found smeared on the walls of the university during the occupation, adding to the concerns surrounding the matter.
- In response to the police operation, several individuals, including students and employees affiliated with the presidium's delegation, have filed complaints for trespassing and aggravated trespassing against HU and the police.
