Clashes at Sapienza between police and 300 students: two arrests, some injured. Piantedosi: «Proximity to the attacked officers»

Clashes and tensions are back at La Sapienza University of Rome where the meeting of the Board of Directors and the Academic Senate on the issue of research agreements with Israel has been awaited for days. Two people were arrested after the attempted break-in first at the Academic Senate and then at the police station under which demonstrators had gathered: one was stopped after damaging a police car, the other for attacking an officer.

Damaged police cars

The day began with two students, Martina and Letizia, chained to the totem in front of the entrance to the Rectorate to “request the stop of the university’s agreements with Israel and the resignation of the rector from the Med Or foundation” which is headed by Leonardo. And it ended with moments of tension, first in front of the rector’s office, then outside the university city: in addition to the arrests, the students claim that three of them were slightly injured.

Piantedosi’s intervention

«The Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, personally spoke to the Chief of Police, Vittorio Pisani, to ascertain the health conditions of the police force workers attacked during the clashes that occurred in the afternoon at Sapienza, expressing his closeness and solidarity with them “. The Ministry of the Interior makes this known.

The appointment

In the morning, around 200 students, mainly from collectives, together with university professors, researchers and administrative staff, awaiting the outcome of the meeting of the Academic Senate and the Board of Directors, gathered for a short press conference in front of the rector’s office. Then they walked through the streets of the university city and the corridors of the faculties of Literature and Political Science, waving flags, chanting slogans and launching slogans especially against the rector Antonella Polimeni, accused of not wanting a real discussion with the students and of not having resigned from the foundation Med’Or.

The complaint

“Boycott Israel, keep the war out of the university, shame, murderers”, the slogans of the demonstrators, which gradually became harsher as news filtered in from the current Academic Senate, which with the Board of Directors, already in the early afternoon, issued a statement with clear and firm tones. La Sapienza, in fact, we read in the document, «rejects the idea that the boycott of international scientific collaboration, the renunciation of freedom of teaching and research, and the denial of the associated responsibilities of each individual researcher, can promote peace and respect for human dignity” even if it first and foremost expresses “pain and horror for the military escalation and the consequent humanitarian crisis underway in Palestine”.

The Board of Directors and the Academic Senate then reiterate their commitment to the creation of humanitarian corridors and further welcoming, support and solidarity actions for the academic communities affected by the conflict: from the creation of a national doctorate in Peace Studies, to joining the partnership with An -Najah National University, Unimed and Palestinian Student Scholarship Fund (PSSF) for the completion of free university education for students residing in the Gaza Strip. In front of the rectorate, before the departure of the procession, two professors, Professor Giorgio Mariani who teaches American literature and Professor Laura Guazzone, professor of contemporary history of Arab countries, read the appeal signed by 2500 students, researchers, administrators and 150 university teachers explaining the reasons for the protest and asking the Academic Senate to suspend agreements with Israeli universities. «We ask for the suspension, not the cancellation, of these agreements – they explained – and we send any idea of ​​racism and anti-Semitism back to the sender. We ask for a stop to the scientific agreements between Sapienza and the armaments industry, we consider it desirable that all the rectors resign from Med’or, including the rector of La Sapienza, Polimeni. Finally, we call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”

The tensions

After a few moments of tension with the police in front of the rector’s office, having understood that the protest had not given the desired results, the young people marched in a procession outside the university city, followed by clashes with the police. Finally, the students continued the procession to Piazzale del Verano, daubing a bus and the shutter of a supermarket along the way. Solidarity with the rector Polimeni came from the University Minister Anna Maria Bernini. «What is happening at La Sapienza University is shameful. Legitimate protest can never lead to violence and abuse. The Senate’s decision highlights that the academic community does not accept impositions from a minority that would like to isolate Italian universities from international content. Research cannot be boycotted”, commented the minister.

Crui’s words

The Conference of Rectors “welcomes with serious concern the news of new clashes between students and the police at Sapienza University”. As reiterated several times in recent weeks, “violence is never acceptable, from any point of view and in any form – said Giovanna Iannantuoni, president of the Crui – It is even more inadmissible when it attempts to force a decision taken democratically by a body of governance of a university. Italian universities are and will always be the place for comparing ideas and culture. Rector Polimeni has all my solidarity».

Several injured among the police

There are several injured among the police forces due to today’s tensions at the Sapienza University in Rome. According to what we learn, among the two arrested there is a girl. In particular, she allegedly attacked a police officer during the attempt to break into the police station.