Both boys arrested yesterday during the clashes that took place at La Sapienza in Rome are free. This was decided directly by the judge who validated the arrest and did not order precautionary measures. The 28-year-old is accused of resisting a public official and causing injury. The trial will take place on May 22nd: in the courtroom he rejected all charges. The second student was also arrested but no precautionary measures were taken. The young man, a twenty-year-old Libyan citizen, is accused of aggravated damage for getting into a police vehicle. The judge set the trial for May 23rd. The student collectives had arranged to meet today in charge of the Court of Rome to demonstrate against the arrest of two boys.
From qualified sources we learn that there were also some anarchists and figures linked to Palestinian resistance organizations in Italy yesterday at La Sapienza University of Rome, where clashes occurred between university students and the police forces on the occasion of the meeting of the Board of Directors and the Academic Senate. In fact, at least five anarchists “unrelated to university contexts” and a Palestinian were present at the march, which took place inside the university city before the tensions in front of the Rectorate. The latter, who is among those who took turns speaking before the Rectorate, is part of the Palestinian Arab Democratic Union (UDAC), an association founded in the early 2000s that brings together Palestinian activists in our country.
Meanwhile, the protest at Sapienza continues. The girls and boys of the collectives who have been protesting with tents inside La Sapienza University for three days have chained themselves and are on hunger strike starting today. “Our country is not yet willing to work to build the conditions for peace, but there is no more time – we read in an appeal written by the students – We are chained and on hunger strike in front of the rectorate of Sapienza because it has been since heart of the largest university in Europe that getting a step back from those who are complicit in genocide can produce an important change”.
“We will be on hunger strike until the rector Antonella Polimeni listens to our requests.” Francesca from Cambiare Rotta told ANSA. The student is chained in front of the Sapienza rectorate together with Leonardo from the same organization. “We continue to ask for a halt to the agreements. And perhaps at this point the right move would also be to resign – she adds – the teachers presented some critical issues yesterday and did not listen to what was said”. For Francesca it is a “problem of internal democracy”. “For us it seems logical that she resigns because she does not represent the wishes of the student community”, she concludes.
“There was no attack on the police station, they had just quietly arrested one of us. We wanted to hear from him, to show solidarity.” This was said by the girls and boys of Sapienza for Palestine in a press conference in front of the rectorate of the Roman university after yesterday’s clashes. “It is specious – they reiterate – to continue talking about an attack on the police station that didn’t happen. However, we are not talking about the rector who prefers to use truncheons rather than come down and listen to us”. The boys also add that “in the hospital there is a girl injured by truncheons”.
“We officially ask the rector Antonella Polimeni to come and account for her decisions”. This was reiterated by the girls and boys of the collectives at a press conference in front of the rectorate of La Sapienza, after yesterday’s clashes. “We remain chained and on strike, at the same time as the permanent garrison of the tents in Pratone – they continue – It is not acceptable that the rector of the largest university in Europe flees from dialogue with her community”. And they relaunch the appointment for tomorrow, “at 6pm on the lawn, for a large public assembly also open to the city which asks for a discussion with the rector and all the university governance. Polimeni, it’s time to listen to us”. “We have been mobilizing for Palestine for months and if the police come to beat up students it means that our university is no longer a democratic space”, they add.
Video Students before the court: ‘They prefer bankers to their students’
“Devastation, attacks, clashes, attacks on a Rectorate and a police station, with a manager punched. This is not demonstrating, but crime”, was the comment of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday evening. “Violence is not, and never will be, an expression of freedom”, added the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa.
“We consider these arrests to be a very serious initiative and we are here to reiterate solidarity with our friends – states Giulio of Potere al Popolo – because what happened yesterday is unacceptable. Yesterday we asked for an immediate stop to the Italy-Israel agreements but no response came from the university. The clashes were violent and unmotivated, we were moving peacefully but now there is a climate of repression in this country.”
Video Demonstration in Rome: ‘There was no dialogue with the police, only shots’
Gasparri: ‘We won’t be intimidated by these thugs’
“It is absurd that some small extremist groups from La Sapienza University attacked the Police Force, damaging the police cars with their fists and even attempted to attack the police station. We are going mad and I hope that serious and adequate initiatives will be taken in the It is one thing to demonstrate one’s ideas against these madmen intent on defending ideologies that are in absolute conflict with our principles and constitutional values. It is another thing to praise Hamas and attack the people in uniform who are constantly engaged in the defense and security of the country. our country. The rector of La Sapienza University Polimeni, to whom I express all my solidarity, did well in not accepting their requests. We will not be intimidated by these thugs. They will never have won Israel and democracy”. This was declared by the president of the senators of Forza Italia Maurizio Gasparri.
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