Published13. October 2023, 7:41 p.m
SIG demands: University of Zurich should consider banning Marxist student associations
The Jewish Community Association is calling on the University of Zurich to review the “Marxist Students Zurich” association. He called for a pro-Palestine rally on the Polyterrasse on Thursday.
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Since yesterday evening, a poster with the words “Intifada to Victory” has been hanging in various places at the University of Zurich. The student association “Marxist Students Zurich” is behind the posters, as the University of Zurich writes.
20min/News-Scout
Conversation between Gaudenz Looser and Jonathan Kreutner on the subject of anti-Semitism in the comments.
Taken on: July 30, 2021
20min/Michael Scherrer
That happened:
The University of Zurich (UZH) banned the “Marxist Students Zurich” association from holding a pro-Palestine rally on the Polyterrasse.
According to the Swiss Association of Jewish Communities (SIG), banning the rally alone is not enough.
The SIG calls on the University of Zurich to check the status of the association recognized by the University of Zurich.
The association defends itself against the allegations: It never called for violence.
That happened
With a poster, the “Marxist Students Zurich” association called for a pro-Palestine rally on Thursday on the Polyterrasse and in the premises of the University of Zurich. The organizers of the rally, who describe themselves as communists, wrote on the poster: “Solidarity with Palestine – Intifada to Victory.”
The university and the ETH did not tolerate the event, which is why the rally was moved to the Stolzewiese about an hour late. Around thirty people took part.
SIG: “Banning an event alone is not enough”
Shocked by the wording on the poster and the associated message, the Secretary General of the Swiss Jewish Community Association SIG, Jonathan Kreutner, intervened at the University of Zurich on Thursday morning.
Kreutner also told 20 Minutes that the SIG had called for “a closer look” at the status of the association recognized by the University of Zurich. “It cannot just be a matter of banning an event,” says Kreutner.
“By leaving the University of Zurich in ignorance about the rally, the association deliberately duped the institution,” says Kreunter. “In my view, an association that tolerates violence should not be tolerated at an educational institution.”
University of Zurich in contact with club
According to Beat Müller, communications officer at the University of Zurich, the student association had asked for and received permission to host an event on the topic of “Socialism or Permacrisis”. But when this event was then changed into a rally with the call “Intifada to Victory”, the University of Zurich withdrew the association’s permit. “The UZH does not tolerate calls for violence,” said Thursday’s statement.
The university is in contact with the association and will “remind them of the rights and obligations of a student organization.” If these are not met, rights and privileges could be reduced or revoked, up to and including deprivation as a student organization, says Müller.
This is what the club says about the allegations
In a statement on Thursday, the association clearly distanced itself from Hamas. They were never supported. “We neither share their ideology nor do we approve of the methods they use.” The association does not condone the killing of innocent civilians. The association also clearly distances itself from the accusation of anti-Semitism: Israel’s government is not criticized because of its religion, but because of the violent oppression of the Palestinian people.
In view of these facts, the University of Zurich’s argument for banning the rally is untenable and represents an attack on the basic democratic rights of freedom of speech and assembly, the association wrote in response to a request on Friday.
If the university were to deny the association as a student organization, it would be taking a “very dangerous” path because it would “further” curtail students’ rights to freedom of expression. This would contradict the university’s self-declared demand for democratic discussions.
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2023-10-13 18:00:57
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