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: November 10, 2025

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances | Other

Institution(s):Universidad del Atlántico

Region & Country:Americas | Colombia

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On November 10, 2025, at least twenty unidentified individuals violently disrupted an assembly of students and faculty who were protesting the appointment of the new rector at the Universidad del Atlántico.

The disruption was the latest in a series of protests that escalated into violence. Rector elections for the 2025-2029 term took place throughout October 2025. The five-candidate race was contentious and sparked multiple protests within the university community, particularly regarding conflicts of interests, corruption allegations, and a lack of transparency in the electoral process. After lawyer and former city councilman Leyton Barrios was eventually announced as rector, students alleged irregularities in the process and called for government intervention and investigation.

The individuals who disrupted the assembly were carrying bladed weapons and blunt options and injured multiple students, ripped banners, and pepper-sprayed protestors. The assembly was ultimately canceled.

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, and university authorities must take reasonable measures to ensure safe conditions for living, learning, and expression for students. 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.youtube.com/watch?v=jPI0Yr2XZ00
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2025/10/30/video-caos-total-en-la-universidad-del-atlantico-por-eleccion-de-rector-los-estudiantes-protagonizaron-desmanes-y-bloqueos/
https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/crisis-en-la-universidad-del-atlantico-disputa-politica-por-el-rector-y-autonomia-universitaria-en-riesgo-PP4850144A
https://www.wradio.com.co/2025/11/10/sigue-la-disputa-por-la-rectoria-de-la-universidad-del-atlantico/