On March 4, 2026, a group of unidentified hooded individuals stormed the Industrial University of Santander (UIS), vandalizing university property and disrupting academic activities.

The group graffitied several campus buildings and tried to enter classrooms and demand students leave. Video footage showed a professor arguing with the intruders as they attempted entry, pushing them back toward the door. Additional footage showed a hooded individual arguing with students in the hallways, ordering them to leave the building.

The disruption followed an action at UIS a few months prior, when unidentified individuals detonated homemade explosives on campus (see report).

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:
https://caracol.com.co/2026/03/05/consejo-academico-de-la-uis-rechaza-acciones-violentas-en-campus-central/
https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/educacion/profesor-uis-se-paro-duro-enfrento-capuchos-irrumpieron-clases-NC34148140
https://www.msn.com/es-co/noticias/nacional/docente-de-la-uis-enfrenta-a-encapuchados-y-los-saca-a-empujones-del-salón-de-clases-se-conoce-qué-les-dijo/ar-AA1Xy0nV