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. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: May 16, 2025

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):National University of Colombia

Region & Country:Americas | Colombia

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On May 16, 2025, a group of unidentified and masked individuals violently clashed with police at the National University in Bogota.

The incident began when masked individuals positioned themselves inside the National University’s gates and threw homemade explosives at the police. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the group. The vice-rector announced that they were evacuating the university because of safety concerns.

Media reports suggested the confrontation was likely related to the anniversary of the student protest that occurred on May 16, 1984, when police violently cracked down on students protesting at the university, resulting in the deaths of nearly 20 students and arrests of over 80.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent and destructive attacks on campus. Students and members of the public must refrain from violence, especially on campus, and respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Similarly, while state authorities have a responsibility to maintain security and order, they also have an obligation to ensure that their actions are proportionate, do not harm members of the higher education community. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, such actions undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.wradio.com.co/2025/05/16/universidad-nacional-ordeno-desalojo-tras-disturbios-y-presencia-de-encapuchados/
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2025/05/16/encapuchados-se-tomaron-edificio-de-sociologia-en-la-universidad-nacional/
https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/disturbios-universidad-nacional-bogota-16-mayo-2025-AA27416372
https://elpais.com/america-colombia/2024-05-17/los-estudiantes-de-la-universidad-nacional-conmemoran-el-16-de-mayo-en-imagenes.html
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2025/05/16/universidad-nacional-ordeno-la-evacuacion-inmediata-del-campus-en-bogota-por-riesgo-extremo-ante-la-grave-situacion-de-orden-publico/