The petition launched Wednesday on Change.org by Luigi Silvano, professor of Humanistic studiescollected a thousand signatures in a few hours and gives voice to the request that some of the teachers vigorously demand after the end of the occupation at Palazzo Nuovo and, on June 20th morning, in Physics: «Let the count of the damage inflicted on public property be made public», we read in the collection of signatures launched to ask for the liberation of the via Sant’Ottavio precisely on the day of the occupiers’ about-face.
It will take a little patience to check the conditions of Palazzo Nuovo and start safety measures before a reopening that has been expected for weeks. «We are pleased to confirm that Palazzo Nuovo, after 40 days of occupation, has been returned to the availability of the university”, reads the email sent by Stefano Geuna to all professors. The rector remarks: «This is the outcome of a process, during which a firm line was maintained, patient and, in the presence of institutional conditions respectful of democratic principles, open to moments of dialogue and assembly discussion with the demonstrators, discussing then requests and motions in the collegial bodies, convened in extraordinary mode”.
Geuna announces: «In these hours, a detailed check of the state of all the premises involved has been promptly started, with careful detection and documentation of the damage caused to the structure, also starting at the same time the restoration of the full functionality and security of the spaces, so as to allow the resumption of regular teaching activities and the work of the technical-administrative staff as soon as possible”.
A damage assessment had already been delivered last week. The dossier, however, referring to the upper floors of the building where the tents had not been placed, explained the absence of damage or intrusion into the laboratories. The Uniti technicians had not even recorded break-ins and thefts in the professors’ offices. However, the theme of the writings remained. In the month of occupation, Palazzo Nuovo was transformed into a large mural with drawings and slogans, also present on the roof as can be seen on Instagram.
Some sentences, as in the case of anti-Semitic messages, would have been deleted by the pro-Palestinian students themselves, said those who were able to enter, to avoid controversy.
Liters and liters of paint will be needed to bring Palazzo Nuovo back to its original appearance. A similar cure will await as well the Rectorate in via Po, like a portion of the colonnade in Via Po recently cleaned by residents, to erase the writings and splashes of color made during Wednesday’s procession. The choice to demobilize the acampada of Palazzo Nuovo was explained thus by the occupants. «Today it is no longer functional and the time has come to practice new forms of mobilization», we read in their statement. They underline: «We know that such a large and persistent mobilization cannot be perfect in every detail, but we deeply believe in the fight we are carrying out and in the methods we propose, on which from today we will be able to reflect and create an analysis».
