SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: June 10, 2014

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):Barquisimeto | University Fermín Toro

Region & Country:Americas | Venezuela

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On June 10, 2014, several individuals reportedly launched tear gas from a moving car onto the campus of University Fermin Toro in Barquisimento, Venezuela. As a result, students suffered breathing problems and had to be evacuated from campus. 
Security footage reportedly showed that the attackers included members of pro-government groups who had launched an attack on the same campus roughly one month earlier, burning a large number of university buildings and installations. 
Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks on campus. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims and university property, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. State officials have a responsibility to ensure the security of higher education communities, to prevent future attacks, and to hold perpetrators accountable.
Sources
http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140610/lanzaron-bomba-lacrimogena-en-la-universidad-fermin-toro
http://www.elimpulso.com/noticias/regionales/ataques-con-lacrimogenas-en-dos-universidades-de-barquisimeto