Student sit-in over security measures
Students at Athens Law School yesterday launched a sit-in on their campus to protest a move by the institution’s authorities to tackle the abuse of university asylum by limiting access to the premises with the issuance of identity cards for students and by placing security guards at its gates. The Law School’s left-leaning student union decided earlier yesterday to protest the move and called two rallies for today, both in central Athens, to emphasize their objection to the decision by university authorities. Protesters are also reportedly objecting to the presence on campus of a so-called «anarchists’ hangout.» According to a police spokesperson, cleaning staff on the grounds of the Athens Law School campus disposed of about 20 Molotov cocktail bombs. It was unclear exactly where these bombs were found but there was no indication of any suspicion of student involvement in their manufacture. Self-styled anarchists are often accused of exploiting the immunity offered by university campuses to manufacture firebombs to use during street clashes with riot police. In a related development, the rector of the University of Athens, Christos Kittas, who was hospitalized on Sunday after being beaten up by assailants wielding iron bars, was discharged. Kittas, who suffered a heart attack following the assault, issued an appeal to academics to tackle the problem at universities. «Watching young people who could be my grandchildren or students commit crimes and vandalize the shrine to free thought, I feel dead inside,» he said. But he asked academics and politicians alike «not to give up on our youth… or on the problems in education.»
