AUEB suspends operation in ‘symbolic’ protest
The Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) will keep its doors closed Wednesday to protest against rampant drug dealing on the streets next to its central Athens premises, following a decision by the senate Tuesday.
“With a sense of responsibility and expressing the anxiety of the university community, and in order to defend the right to health and safety, the senate decided to symbolically suspend the operation of the undergraduate programs of the institution on Wednesday in order to mobilize the state bodies responsible for the immediate and permanent removal of drug dealers and users from streets adjacent to the university,” the senate said in a press release.
University officials have repeatedly complained to authorities that Antoniadou Street, in particular, has turned into a hub for drug dealers and users, posing a risk to the health and security of students and staff.
A petition by student groups calling for immediate action has so far collected more than 1,000 signatures.
