On February 12, 2025, the Free University of Berlin (FU) cancelled a previously approved in-person, public lecture featuring Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 and an international human rights lawyer, and Eyal Weizman, the director of the research agency Forensic Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London and a Professor of Spatial and Visual Cultures. The cancellation came following a negative media campaign and public pressure from German officials.
The public lecture, “Conditions of life calculated to destroy: Legal and forensic perspectives on the ongoing Gaza genocide,” was planned for February 19. On February 11, Berlin’s Science Minister Ina Czyborra released a statement that accused Albanese of making antisemitic statements and put pressure on FU to make “wise decisions.” Likewise, Berlin’s mayor Kai Wegner spoke about the event to the Bild tabloid newspaper in early February, stating, “I expect the FU to cancel the event immediately and take a clear stand against antisemitism.”
On February 12, FU president Günter M. Ziegler released a statement announcing the cancellation of the public event. He justified the cancellation on the basis of “massive criticism from various quarters of both guests at the planned event, including accusations of anti-Semitism and trivialization of Hamas,” and noted that he had been “strongly urged to cancel the event immediately.” Ziegler’s statement further pointed to unspecified security concerns, “we must come to the realization that in the current situation we can no longer reasonably guarantee the safety of all those involved and not involved in the planned event,” and argued that “the goal of a scientific debate is no longer achievable due to the strong polarization.”
FU offered the event organizers and speakers the opportunity to hold a virtual event. Instead, event organizers held the event on February 19, as originally planned, in a different location. The event was live streamed, unofficially, in the FU lecture hall that was originally scheduled to host the event. Around 200 students attended the live streaming. After hearing about the live streaming, the university administration called police to campus and stated that they would evacuate the lecture hall. The streaming was allowed to go forward after professors negotiated with university leadership.
This was the second time since late January that a German university canceled a scheduled lecture by Albanese. On January 31, Ludwig Maximilian University also canceled an event featuring Albanese (see report)
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the cancellation of a previously approved academic event as a result of political pressure and due to stated security concerns. External actors, including government officials and political actors, have a right to free expression, but should not be permitted to impose undue pressure on universities’ academic decisions. Additionally, higher education leaders should respect academic freedom by refraining from restrictions on academic activity. Where there are legitimate security concerns, the university is obligated to take reasonable available measures to ensure security. In the absence of such concerns, content-based restrictions on otherwise legitimate university events undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://taz.de/Vortrag-von-Francesca-Albanese-in-Berlin/!6067148/
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-anger-over-cancelled-talks-by-un-special-rapporteur-for-palestinian-territories/a-71662122
https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/informationen/fup/faq/nahost/wissenschaftliche-veranstaltung/index.html
https://www.amnesty.de/pressmitteilung/deutschland-absage-veranstaltungen-un-sonderberichterstatterin-francesca-albanese
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/der-freitag/statement-zur-ausladung-von-albanese-wo-wenn-nicht-an-einer-universitaet
https://pja-verein.de/2025/02/14/stellungnahme-des-vereins-palastinensischer-und-judischer-akademikerinnen-pja-zur-absage-der-veranstaltung-mit-francesca-albanese-und-eyal-weizman-an-der-freien-universitat-berlin/
https://krisol-wissenschaft.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/KriSol-PM-20.2.25.pdf