The German University Association, student and police representatives have criticized the occupation of universities by pro-Palestinian activists. Universities are places of differentiated intellectual debate, the President of the German University Association, Lambert T. Koch, told the German Press Agency. They are "not places for violent protests that get out of hand, as was recently the case at HU and now FU Berlin".
On Tuesday, Freie Universität (FU) temporarily suspended operations because 150 activists occupied the courtyard. The police cleared the site in the afternoon. According to the university, activists had also attempted to occupy rooms and lecture halls at the university and there had been damage to property. Officers were also called to a similar operation in Leipzig. There, a good 50 activists had occupied the Audimax and inner courtyard. The police cleared the lecture hall in the evening and said there were currently 13 suspects. On Friday, activists had protested at Humboldt University. Around 150 people had gathered for an unregistered rally.
