12/6/2024–|Last updated: 6/12/202407:09 PM (Mecca time)
The German Ministry of Education and Research has launched an investigation to examine cutting off financial support paid to academics who support students protesting the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
This comes after several faculty members in Germany signed an open letter expressing dissatisfaction with police violence towards students protesting in support of Palestine at the Free University of Berlin on May 7.
The Northern German Radio and Television Channel reported on Wednesday that the Ministry of Education and Research had opened an investigation against academics who signed that letter.
The channel indicated that the ministry will study the possibility of cutting the funding granted to the aforementioned academics, stressing that the ministry asked the academics why they support students in solidarity with Palestine and asked them for a defensive clarification in this regard.
A statement issued by the ministry earlier stated that the open letter falls within the scope of freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution, and therefore no other conclusions were drawn regarding the letter, “and therefore there is no need for further rumors.” The statement did not include any information about officially ending the investigation against the academics.
As part of the reaction to this measure, retired Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law Clemens Artz described the ministry’s request as “an attempt to interfere with freedom of expression. This situation may lead to consequences such as withdrawal of financial support, and will amount to an interference against academic freedom.”
On May 7, about 150 students at the German Free University of Berlin held a protest camp in solidarity with Palestine, before the police intervened, broke up the protest, and arrested a number of students.
Following these developments, many faculty members at various universities in the country signed an open letter supporting student demonstrators in solidarity with Palestine and demanding that students not be subjected to police violence.
“Whether we agree with the concrete demands in the camp or not, we stand with our students and defend their right to peaceful protest,” the letter said. Federal Minister for Education and Research Bettina Starke-Fatzinger criticized the letter signed by the academics.