In front of the main building, around 20 tents are raised, with a few Palestinian flags hoisted. Everything is proceeding very calmly. Vice-Chancellor Malin Broberg has spoken with representatives of the manifestation.
“As a university, we stand for democracy, freedom of speech, and human rights. Everyone has the right to express their opinion, and I fully understand that people want to show their anger and frustration. As long as the manifestation does not disrupt our daily work here at the University, it is not up to us to have opinions on how people exercise their democratic rights,” says Malin Broberg.
The protesters demand that the University of Gothenburg should sever all collaborations with Israel. What are your thoughts on that?
“To do so would require a different stance from the Swedish government. Fundamentally, universities believe in academic collaborations as a basis for democracy and progress that benefits all people,” says Malin Broberg.
It's not just in Gothenburg that pro-Palestinian protesters have set up tents near university buildings. Similar manifestations are also taking place in Lund, Stockholm, and Örebro.