Youth protest | Blockade, waffles, flyers: students mobilize for a strike

“Against militarization, conscription and complicity” – the blockade of the social science institute at Humboldt University was initially tolerated. Photo: nd/David Rojas Kienzle “Today is not a university day, today is a strike day,” a speaker shouts into the microphone in front of the social science institute at Humboldt University (HU) in the Mitte district. The entrance to the university is blocked with warning beacons on Tuesday morning. Around 70 students gathered at a small rally. There are waffles and coffee right next to the entrance, and there are flyers on the table. “Gen Z regulates students,” a group that was only founded over the weekend, has been blocking the institute since early this morning.

The police are also there, the blue lights of the cars are visible from afar. The officers regulate traffic, but otherwise hold back. On the opposite side of the street from the blockade, lecturers from the institute are standing and talking about the action. They don't want to talk to the press today. Jonas, press spokesman for the rally, explains in an interview with “nd” that the blockade was tolerated by the university management.

The blockade of the HU is just one of many student actions that are currently taking place. The Otto Suhr Institute at the Free University of Berlin will also be blocked on Tuesday. “The situation of our generation and of people disadvantaged by the system is precarious and yet is not being heard,” says a press statement about the blockade. But there is a glimmer of hope: "Gen Z is raising its voice loudly in many countries." The blockade sent a signal and gave time to deal with the current problems, the statement continued.

You can see the austerity in education, says Jonas. At the HU, for example, the entire archeology course is being scrapped. And at the Technical University, entire buildings are so dilapidated that they can no longer be used. “Saving to death and not renovating,” as Jonas says.

The problems students face go beyond the university itself. The current social cuts are noticeable, says Jonas. “Many of my fellow students can no longer afford the rent and have to turn over every cent three times,” the speaker explains. The cafeteria is becoming more and more expensive and there are no self-managed student rooms at the HU where students can provide themselves with cheap food. Accordingly, one demand from “Gen Z regulates students” is that the social cuts by the federal government and the Berlin Senate be reversed. “We demand that more money be put into education again,” says Jonas. They also oppose the reintroduction of compulsory military service.

Another demand from students is the democratization of universities. “As students, we want to have a say in what happens at the universities,” says Jonas. It is important to the students that no military research is carried out at their university. There are also demands for boycotts. “We are committed to opposing the HU’s complicity in the genocide in Palestine,” says Jonas. The HU cooperates with various Israeli educational institutions that also support military research in Israel. This means that the HU is indirectly involved in the genocide.

At the rally, the active students are largely among themselves. “So far, not many additional people from the university have joined, but also because not many people have noticed,” says Jonas. The blockade should only be a beginning anyway. Another student, Kaja, explains this on the microphone: On November 19th, one day before a nationwide day of action, “Gen Z regulates students” wants to organize a student general assembly (VV) at the HU. There should then be a democratic vote on whether the entire university should go on strike. “We want a lot of students to show together that things can’t go on like this,” says Kaja into the microphone.

»Many of my fellow students can no longer afford the rent and have to turn over every cent three times.«

Kaja and two fellow students grab flyers and go to a student union café to promote the general assembly. They don't just distribute flyers, they also speak to their fellow students directly. Young people all over Europe are taking to the streets, says Kaja in an interview with three students. She points to the successes of students in France and Serbia, who have also begun meetings at universities. She explains why there are enough reasons to take to the streets here too. The three students agree with her and say they would come to VV. “More has to happen,” says one. Kaja also receives a lot of support for the cause of “Gen Z regulates students” in further discussions.

In the meantime, Kaja goes back to the rally in front of the blockade and picks up several people who also want to mobilize for the VV. This time the students also want to go to lectures and seminars to advertise. But only four students can imagine not only having conversations but also giving a speech to a group. They practice and encourage each other in front of the entrance to the HU main building.

Inside the building, Kaja politely asks at a seminar whether she can provide information about the issue of “Gen Z regulates students”. After the lecturer has agreed to this, she gives a short speech. At the planned general meeting they want to discuss whether they want to organize a big strike in the HU, she says. Meanwhile, your fellow campaigners are distributing flyers. At the end, the lecturer adds to the seminar participants that they should think about it carefully. "But it's fundamentally not wrong to campaign politically for your own future."

The students don't receive this much goodwill in all events. In another lecture they don't get the chance to ask if they can interrupt for a moment. “You’re leaving now!” the lecturer interrupts directly. In the third lecture hall, the lecturer just says that it should take a maximum of three minutes. The flyers that the students distribute also have a QR code that leads to an information channel on Whatsapp. Over the course of the day it fills up slowly but steadily.

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