Management tolerates action

Pro-Palestinian activists occupy university rooms

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators stand behind a police cordon in front of the Institute for Social Sciences at Humboldt University(Bild: APA/dpa/Soeren Stache)

Activists occupied rooms at Berlin's Humboldt University (HU) on Wednesday in protest against Israel and in support of the Palestinians. They will be allowed to continue their protest until Thursday evening, and there will also be a round table discussion. 

The university board and the occupiers agreed on the discussion round on Wednesday evening after more than two hours of talks.

Demo on the street
The police secured the university building, in which around 50 activists have been occupying several rooms since Wednesday afternoon. Another 250 to 300 young people demonstrated on the street in front of the building, chanting loud slogans.

HU President Julia von Blumenthal told Die Welt that the occupation of rooms at the Institute of Social Sciences would be permitted until 6 p.m. on Thursday. "We expect the occupiers to leave the building peacefully afterwards." 

Walls smeared
There are also clear agreements that there will be no further damage to property and that no other people will be allowed into the building overnight, said von Blumenthal. The activists had graffitied walls. The lectures are to be held digitally on Thursday.

Criminal charges initiated
A police spokeswoman said that individual measures restricting freedom had been taken during the demonstration in front of the university building. She was initially unable to give any figures. The police had secured banned slogans that had been shouted. "Appropriate criminal charges will then be initiated."

The conflict in the Middle East has now reached German universities. There are repeated protests against Israel's actions in the Gaza war and student campaigns for solidarity with the Palestinians. An occupation at the Free University of Berlin a few weeks ago was broken up by the police.