March 15, 2018
The series of unfortunate events
While others sleep, some show support through giving blankets and food to those who stay at De Verrekijker (DV) to defend academic freedom. The women against imperialism event held at DV last February 27 sparked intrigue and series of accusation against DV collective and the organizers of the said event, calling the speaker a terrorist and threat to the whole university.
Students, youth and young professionals both from inside and outside the university have shown solidarity with DV by sleeping inside the autonomous space. DV has huisvrede, legal rights over access and occupation and space. Eviction is illegal without an order from the judge. As early as February 28, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) issued an eviction notice to the collective.
On the 14th of March, 2018, DV received another eviction notice from the university lawyer to vacate the DV by April 3, disregarding the request of DV to have an open dialogue with the VU management.
‘DV from now on is closed!’ is what the security told one of the DV members when the said member saw four security guards and maintenance in front of DV by 8:45 am of March 15 and forbid anyone from going inside. The maintenance was seen tearing down the locks and have cut down the electricity. The space has the status of autonomous and is being maintained by students.
Two more DV members arrived by 10 am and have been blocked by the security guards resulting to physical assault. These are security guards of the university and not police, the action committed is illegal and a clear violation to the rights of the DV members. Two university professors were also physically assaulted when they came to show solidarity. Once the door of DV was opened, the two DV members and two professors followed the security guards and maintenance inside. The guards was forcing the four to leave the place and one of the university professors was threatened with a screwdriver on the face. By 10:45, the security guards and maintenance left the place.
Defend Academic Freedom!
The paradox of freedom is evident at (VU) as the fight to defend academic freedom intensifies.
The limitation of academic freedom falls under the tolerance and policies of the university’s stakeholders. Academy has no freedom in the times of capitalism, what it has is a control of information flowing from professors to the students, so that our generation would turn into technocrats; heirs to the oppressive system and make believe freedom. Education, from basic to university level is a business and the citizens are the commodity and machinery to the oppression.
To defend De Verrekijker is to defend academic freedom, not only within the walls of the university but most importantly outside. Academic freedom is freedom of speech, it is a quest and search for truth not only in the letters of the books or inside the university. Not only within the university approved lesson plans but most importantly within the real struggle of the people.
Academic freedom traverse the four suffocating classroom walls; in practice, in openness and acceptance that there is a global socio-political struggle, will we ensure that our youth and students will enable to develop morally and intellectually to serve the people and bring change to the next generation. Academic freedom is an exchange in opinion, researches, collective discussion and dissemination of information. Therefore, it is needless to say that the role of DV within the premises of VU, a neoliberal institution is crucial. DV’s openness and acceptance to progressive ideas is what mirrors the characteristics of the youth, it is the embodiment of academic freedom for it allows the ideas to flow disregarding the religion, race and gender. DV embodies the freedom of thought and expression.
Defend academic freedom! The fight of DV collective is not an isolated case and once it is victorious, it will not only be hailed in the Netherlands. It will start a spark amongst the united youth and academes that academic freedom is free from the scrutiny of the stakeholders and repression of university, free from the intimidation of the authorities. Academic freedom should be boundless especially if it serves for the purpose of changing the oppressive system.
The eviction notice issued by the university shows where it clearly stands; not with it’s students and academes but with it’s stakeholders. Not with the academic freedom that the university should nevertheless be advocate of. It is clear that the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam fears the progressive thinking youth and students. They fear the disturbance in power and political opinion inside and outside the academe.
We call on all the youth, students, professors and young professional to join the fight of De Verrekijker and defend academic freedom. The decision of VU to evict DV is a violation the freedom of thought and expression of the academes and youth.
Academic freedom is only present if it serves the ruling class.
Defend Academic Freedom!