Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The student movement to block the introduction of the European Space for Higher Education (Bologna Process) is growing every day, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In the last few weeks it has become evident the movement has acquired a strength that is beginning to disturb certain ideological, political and social sectors and their interests. As a result, there has been a significant escalation of the measures and forms of repression towards those students defending a university that is free and open to all, that is capable of fulfilling its disinterested social function and of effectively making a contribution of knowledge to society. These arguments seem to clash in a more and more radical way with the interests of these sectors.

Last Friday, March 3rd a group of neo-Nazis began to rebuke our comrade Sara for putting-up posters announcing the demonstration and strike of the 12th. A little while later a larger group appeared and attacked her using steel knuckles.

The threats and aggressions of the fascist organizations are already becoming more common and better known, but they are not the only ones. Academic institutions and governments also have expressed their discontent through the only effective methods that function when arguments are lacking: the violent use of power in the form of repression.

The legitimate and peaceful taking of the streets on the part of thousands of students after the demonstration on the 12th was met with police charges that wounded a multitude of participants. Other demonstrators were identified and 3 comrades were detained.

The university’s own organisms of repression were also involved in altercations that occurred in the faculties of political science and sociology of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and the chief of security threatened a comrade during pickets at the Faculties of Philology and Philosophy of the same university.

In the end, these few incidents do not reflect more than the impotence and the desperation of those who have begun to see the fight against Bologna as a real threat. The incursion of the police into the Rectorate of the Universidad Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona is fruit of this incapacity, even after the extensive campaign to dismount the anti-Bologna response, they have had to resort to violence, the police brutality, detentions and identifications, being the only answers they have to arguments that they cannot refute.

In the face of all of this, there can no place for fear, or the violence will have been worth
it. Rather, these attempts at repression are a good thermometer of the positive valuation of the progress of the movement. We are stronger and more numerous, the legitimacy and righteousness of our cause is becoming clearer each day. We cannot let pass these actions on the part of power and those whom it shelters. Our strength also must make itself known. We remind you that these actions are not isolated incidents; rather they accompany a campaign intent on dismantling the mobilizations not only against Bologna, but against all that which goes against the economic and social logic of the government and the businessmen. As hard as they may try; the fight will continue and grow at a forced march.

SOLIDARITY WITH OUR DETAINED COMRADES

NO AGGRESSION WITHOUT RESPONSE!!!