While the occupation of the University of Lausanne (Unil) has continued for several days, students from the University of Geneva (Unige) and EPFL have joined the movement which “denounces the genocide in Gaza and the inaction of universities. Members of the Student Coordination for Palestine (CEP) set up shop at Uni Mail, at the end of the lake, and in the EPFL architecture building on Tuesday afternoon.
In the latter, the situation was particularly tense. Refusing any dialogue with the occupants, the management of the Vaud institution ordered them to leave the premises before 5:30 p.m. Shortly before 6 p.m., under threat of forced evacuation, the students finally left on their own. The police were present in large numbers around the building, ready to intervene.
“The EPFL is really another level of repression,” confided a student from Vaud, also referring to the forced evacuation which took place at the EPFZ at the beginning of the afternoon. Finally, negotiations should be held behind closed doors on Wednesday with the management of EPFL.
In Geneva, the occupation took place peacefully. More than 300 students attended the CEP general assembly around 4 p.m. Some of its members announced that the gathering would continue overnight. “We are told that the Uni wants to discuss but the rectorate does not come. Bring your mattresses and your belongings, we sleep here!” chanted one of the participants in the movement through the megaphone.
Despite long discussions with the spokesperson for the alma mater, Marco Cattaneo, and the director of the Bachelor in International Relations, Frédéric Esposito, “we have not spoken to any member of the rectorate,” regrets the CEP. We want Audrey Leuba (editor’s note: the rector) to come and accept our demands. Otherwise, we stay!” Thus, the decision was taken to continue the occupation during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
“They want conclusions right away, but these must come with dialogue. We must first agree on the conditions of this dialogue,” said Marco Cattaneo, who advocates a discussion over a longer period of time. The manager notes that the decision to stay at Uni Mail overnight changes the situation. “The building closes its doors at 10 p.m. Beyond that, the occupation becomes unlawful.” The alma mater does not comment on possible police intervention to evict the students.
At Unil, while dialogue was broken off with the rector, negotiations resumed on Tuesday afternoon. The students, however, decided to continue to occupy the premises until Wednesday morning, in any case.
