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: February 23, 2023

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances | Other

Institution(s):National University of Bogota | Universidad Colegio Mayor of Cundinamarca

Region & Country:Americas | Colombia

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On February 23, 2023, hooded protesters engaged in violent and destructive behavior in or around the campuses of the National University of Colombia and Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca in Bogota. 

The protests were focused on demands for improvements to infrastructure. According to reports, groups of hooded protesters set fire to the entrance turnstiles of the National University and threw sharp objects and explosives in the area around the Colegio Mayor of Cundinamarca, leading to clashes with police, who responded by deploying water cannons and tear gas. 

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent and destructive acts in connection with campus protests. While students and others on campus have the right to gather publicly and express themselves, they must do so responsibly and nonviolently. Violent acts in the course of campus protests undermine academic freedom, university autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources 

https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2023/02/23/afectaciones-de-movilidad-en-bogota-por-protestas-en-la-universidad-nacional-y-colegio-mayor-de-cundinamarca/

https://citytv.eltiempo.com/programas/citynoticias-de-las-8/jornada-de-protestas-en-bogota_58361