Pro-Palestinian protesters end University of Geneva demo

Pro-Palestinian students had occupied the Uni Dufour building in Geneva since May 14. Keystone-SDA

Pro-Palestinian protesters who camped out in front of the rector's office at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) left the premises on Thursday evening. A criminal complaint had been filed against them for trespassing.

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The pro-Palestinian students, who had been camped out at the university since Wednesday, walked out to avoid a confrontation with police, who were ready to intervene on Thursday. As they left, demonstrators outside the university building chanted “Israel murders, UNIGE complicit”.

The Student Coordination for Palestine (CEP) group, which had already briefly occupied the UniMail hall last week, ended the occupation. But it maintains its demands, calling for the immediate suspension of all UNIGE collaboration with “Israeli institutions involved in genocide, apartheid and colonisation in Palestine”.

Access to the Uni Dufour building in Geneva had been completely blocked because of the occupation. UNIGE had relocated its planned activities to other sites. According to UNIGE spokesperson Marco Cattaneo, “the CEP’s demands are audible and legitimate, but they must be part of an ongoing democratic process”.

There has been no meeting between the members of the CEP and the rector’s office. Rector Audrey Leuba met the students last week, said Cattaneo. For its part, the CEP condemns the attitude of the rector’s office, “which has decided to hide behind a stony silence”.

Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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