State of siege at the Faculty of Philosophy: Student posters torn down, private security guards arrive

After Rector Damir Boras dissolved the Student Union of the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb yesterday, students today showed that they will not easily come to terms with that decision and are announcing a Plenum and further actions, reports the Patria News Agency.  

However, it seems that the faculty authorities, primarily Dean Vlatko PeriŠi‡, are not reconciling with the potential student rebellion either, and this morning security guards were seen at the Faculty, engaged in tearing down posters calling for a student plenum.

Students are also banned from entering a special room used by student associations for the past 20 years.

This is a continuation of the conflict between students and some professors of the Faculty of Philosophy over the cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Philosophy and the Catholic Faculty of Theology. At the student plenum, the majority of those present voted against the agreement, which was followed by a blockade of the dean's office and conflicts between the dean and members of the Council who opposed him.

The Faculty Council was in favor of dismissing Dean PreviŠi‡, but Rector Boras decided last night to circumvent the dismissal of the dean by dissolving the Student Union.

Today, posters with Boras and PreviŠi‡ appeared at the Faculty of Philosophy, but they were immediately removed. Posters calling for a plenum meeting were also removed. According to information from the Faculty, students have also been denied access to a special room that students and student associations have been using for the past twenty years.

"Dean, do not be afraid, this will not end like this. You may not have realized it yet, but your time is up. This suppression of freedom of speech at an academic institution, after all the manipulations and corruption, is just another item on an already long list. You will go down in history as the worst and most hated dean in the history of the Faculty of Philosophy," reads a statement from Academic Solidarity, a union of professors and students.

Academic Solidarity is known for having overthrown a package of harmful education laws in 2012.

A little after 1 PM, private security guards were also seen at the Faculty of Philosophy, who were given their own room at the entrance to the faculty. For now, they are there, according to students, to prevent posters from reappearing in the Faculty building, writes Index.