The police put an end to the occupation of the Academy building in Groningen on Tuesday evening. The baton was used.
Donya Ahmadi (34), assistant professor of International Relations, is furious. In front of the Academy Building she is bared to her swollen right arm. There she was severely beaten by the police, while she was watching the protest from a distance. “I saw the police cars coming to the university building, and I checked how my students are doing. Thats my job.”
She is devastated by the police brutality. “That this can be done on the grounds of my own university in this democratic country. This is the decision of the board of the RUG.” Ahmadi has tears running down her cheeks. “This has only happened to me once before. As a feminist in the streets of Iran. That’s why I’m here.” Her throat tightens. She gets a hug from her bystanders.
The students demanded that the resignation of associate professor Susanne Täuber be reversed before April 30. A critical publication from 2019 about women’s opportunities at universities, including the RUG, is said to be the basis for the dismissal. The university already speaks of previous troubled relations with Täuber.
Beaten and dragged by the hair
The 50 or so demonstrators said they would not leave until their demands were met. They are said to have been warned three times by employees of the University of Groningen to leave. When they failed to do so, they were dragged away by the police. “We were peaceful and harmless and they sent the police on us,” one of the demonstrators shouts to the rest. “The board should resign.” Loud cheer. One scans: “Tout le monde déteste la police!”
The students say they did not cooperate in the forced departure, but did not offer any resistance either. Despite this, the police allegedly used excessive force. “Who was hit?” asks Evy de Joode (23) on the stairs of the Academy Building afterwards. Five hands go up. “And who has been dragged by the hair?” Four hands go up. There were also police dogs ready for the action. “They were for intimidation,” said De Joode.
“We understand that we have been evicted from the Academy Building. But it really shouldn’t be that violent.”
The Academy Building was also occupied on 22 March, mainly due to dissatisfaction with the way in which the Executive Board is dealing with their demands to tackle social insecurity at the university. According to the students of the action group Occupy RUG, Täuber’s dismissal is an example of what they consider to be a failing policy at the RUG.
‘Embarrassed’
Ahmadi will not leave it at that. “I support this action. I teach my students to be critical and socially aware.” She also teaches courses on feminism. “The university is proud of my work and had an interview with me on International Women’s Day , which was spread everywhere. Of course I am proud that my students want to sit around the table with the university board. Why not talk? I am ashamed of my own institution.”
In a response, the police said that according to them, the relief was calm. “The students have been asked to leave the building several times and have not responded,” says a spokesperson. “The police were called in and anyone who did not want to go along was taken by the arm and lifted outside. No arrests have been made. In our opinion, everything went smoothly.”