PHOTO: Zagreb Students Protest, Close Faculty

This is not rebellion without a plan, this is not a fistful of students. We will stay put, the students decided.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - Students of the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb continued blocking the faculty, which they took over on Monday morning. Some 20 students spent the night at the faculty facilities.

The organised night watch and maintain their stand until further notice. They have a planned programme until Friday. While some believe they will succeed in their efforts, others doubt the authorities will listen to them and grant free education for everyone. However, they hope these actions will raise the issues of students, making he media and the government more socially sensitive.

- Us 20-30 spent the night here, we organised night watch in shifts and are staying put until our demands are met – one of the protest organisers told us, wishing to stay anonymous. It was agreed that none of them state their names in the public and do not single themselves out from the group.

Support of parents and professors

- Our message is that education should not be sold. People cannot afford pricier items in a supermarket, which means sending their child off to college is a huge expense – one of the protest organisers told us.

The protestors claim they have the support of their parents and professors. They are pleased with the turnout and point out that their long-term goal is to end the neoliberalisation of society, i.e. reduce public budget expenses which leads to perpetuating socioeconomic inequality.

- This is not rebellion without a plan, this is not a fistful of students. We will stay put, the students decided – a student said.

Free education from primary school to doctorate

While they spent the morning and afternoon touring classrooms where they disable classes being held, the evening went by in conversing at a meeting which was closed for the media.

As they announced at the very start of the protest, they play to block classes until their demands are met, the first being free education.

- We want free education from primary school to doctorate. Youth has finally decided it can change things and I think we can – one of the organisers said.

Boras: don`t fall for  manifestos

The faculty administration claims that the students sign themselves “Independent students` initiative for free education” and then stay anonymous. Nobody knows how many there are, they did not receive a permit of the faculty administration to organise or conduct such a protest either.

- These students are not official representatives of our students nor do they represent the majority of our students. Therefore, DO NOT FALL FOR MANIFESTOS! – the adminsitration`s announcement signed by the vide dean for science and international co-operation Damir Boras reads.

Message to minister: we don`t want crumbs, we are hungry for knowledge!

- Today, the students have shown how far they are willing to go to fight for their goals. This goal is actually the most natural goal for the student population- The basic principle of the protest is direct democracy. It has not been staged by a higher institution, this is the real will of the students – one of the protestors told us.

The students started preparing for this action several months ago, because nothing has changed since their last protest a year ago. A part of the professors have supported the students, while according to one of the organisers, “tests will not take place during the bloc”.

As the bloc continues, the students will be exercising yoga on Tuesday and listening to a lecture on activism, the Cold War, transition and democracy.

Take a look at the attached photo gallery: Zagreb Students Protest, Close Faculty.