About 50 students this Monday, gathered since noon in a demonstration at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (UPorto), invaded the building at 8 pm in response to the “uncompromising position” of the director.
Around 7:30 p.m., a delegation of students met with Ana Cristina Freire, the college’s principal, to try to reach an understanding that would lead UPorto to sever ties with Israel following the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Minutes after spokesman Thomas Neri announced over a loudspeaker to about 100 assembled students that the principal had told them to “get out of here,” protesters moved into the interior of the college, whose garden they had occupied from Thursday’s fair.
Also, according to Thomas Neri, in a meeting with the director that took place on Sunday, the protesters were told that they had to leave by 8 pm today, and this scenario, given recent events, assured that they would refuse.
Five PSP agents arrived at the college around 8:30 p.m. and immediately headed inside the premises.
Students took advantage of this fact to reoccupy the premises, which now extend along the corridors of the college.
Chanting, “What a shame it must be to defend genocide just to have something to eat,” the students maintained their defiant stance, with some saying they would only leave the building after speaking with the principal.
At 8:55 p.m., PSP agents remained on the premises, presumably in a meeting with the director.