NTUA intent on reclaiming spaces from activists
The National Technical University of Athens’ (NTUA) ongoing struggle to reclaim spaces occupied by non-student activists was marred by violence on Thursday. As a university ultimatum for squatters to leave expired on Thursday, masked protesters attacked the NTUA administration building on the Zografou campus with rocks, breaking windows. Law enforcement arrived after the group fled, and police forces patrolled the campus.
The dispute dates back to 2013, when activists began occupying a cafeteria near the School of Mechanical Engineering, later transforming it into a self-managed hangout. NTUA Rector Ioannis Chatjigeorgiou affirmed the administration’s intent to re-rent the space, saying it needs to serve students and the university’s mission.
The NTUA has reclaimed other areas in recent years, including spaces once used for political activism. In August, police cleared several lecture halls occupied by anarchist groups, who had previously resisted by damaging property and confronting school officials.
