A stark divide has emerged within the halls of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) following a violent escrache against Felipe González at UAM, where a little contingent of radicals clashed with the university’s commitment to academic discourse. While roughly 150 masked protesters disrupted a high-profile forum, they have been met with a wave of internal condemnation from their own peers, who are now fighting to reclaim the Law Faculty as a space for dialogue rather than intimidation.
The incident occurred during the “Jornadas sociedad civil y cambio global” (Civil Society and Global Change Days), where the former Prime Minister of Spain, Felipe González, and journalist Juan Luis Cebrián were scheduled to speak. What began as a political protest quickly devolved into chaos, characterized by physical aggression and the use of pyrotechnics, leaving the student body grappling with the aftermath of the disruption.
In the days following the attack, the atmosphere inside the Faculty of Law has shifted from shock to organized indignation. Students have established several petition tables throughout the building, collecting signatures to formally condemn the violence. With more than 1,000 signatures already gathered from a total student population of approximately 3,000, the movement represents a significant majority rejecting the tactics used by the radicals.
A Rejection of Political Violence
The student-led response has culminated in a formal manifesto, approved by the faculty’s dean, which emphasizes that the university is a sanctuary for free expression. The document argues that because the faculty already permits protests, strikes, and the display of banners, there is no justification for resorting to violence to convey a political message.
Participants in the petition drive have expressed a desire to distance the general student population from the actions of the minority. One student involved in the organization noted that the university must remain a space where dialogue is possible and where no individual should be subjected to violence, regardless of their political standing.
The sentiment was shared by other public figures, including former Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena, who participated in the same forum without incident and added her signature to the students’ manifesto.
Anatomy of the Disruption
Eyewitness accounts describe a coordinated effort to shut down the event. Protesters entered the faculty wearing masks, some of which bore the names of José Antonio Lasa and Christian Olaskoaga—members of the terrorist group ETA who were killed by the GAL (Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación), the state-linked death squads of the 1980s. This imagery highlighted the deep-seated historical grievances that fueled the attack.
The violence escalated when a large firecracker was detonated in the hallway, causing lighting fixtures to shatter and debris to fall on bystanders. Reports indicate that a 70-year-old professor was physically assaulted during the melee. One student, who attempted to attend the course for which he was enrolled, described a moment of extreme tension when a large kitchen knife was discovered on the scene.
Between the pushing, insults, and blows, and the assault on a 70-year-old professor, I saw a large kitchen knife—one of those where the blade trembles—and I ran out of there.
The origin of the weapon has turn into a point of contention. While a professor recovered the knife, some protesters claimed it was planted by security detail to incriminate the demonstrators—a claim that remains unverified by official university reports.
The Network of Coordination
The disruption was not a spontaneous outburst but a planned operation coordinated via social media and encrypted WhatsApp groups to evade police surveillance. The Federación de Estudiantes Libertaria (FEL), an anarchist organization founded in 2014, claimed responsibility for the action on Twitter, describing the targets as “Capos del Régimen” (Bosses of the Regime).
Logistically, the operation involved a strategic rendezvous at the Faculty of Psychology. There, organizers gathered students from UAM and those traveling from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) before entering the Law Faculty en masse to maximize the impact of the boycott.
Other groups, including Izquierda Castellana and its youth wing, Yesca, were likewise identified as participants in the antifascist mobilization. On campus, the association Habeas Corpus—an officially registered antifascist and anticapitalist group—has been pointed to by fellow students as active participants, though members of the association have denied organizing the event.
Key Groups Involved in the Mobilization
| Organization | Ideological Alignment | Role/Action |
|---|---|---|
| FEL | Anarchist | Claimed responsibility via social media |
| Izquierda Castellana | Antifascist/Far-left | Political support and mobilization |
| Yesca | Youth wing of Izquierda Castellana | Student mobilization (UCM/UAM) |
| Habeas Corpus | Antifascist/Anticapitalist | Alleged internal participation |
Institutional Accountability and Next Steps
The university administration is now moving from crisis management to disciplinary action. Yolanda Valdeolivares, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, stated that while the immediate priority was ensuring the safety of the attendees, the focus has now shifted to a formal investigation.
The administration is currently gathering evidence to identify the specific individuals and associations responsible for the violence. The goal is to establish a legal and administrative basis for potential expulsions of those found to have participated in the assaults or the deployment of dangerous objects.
Students have urged the Faculty Board to ensure that these actions do not move unpunished, arguing that the integrity of the university depends on the enforcement of its own rules regarding conduct and safety.
The university is expected to release the findings of its internal investigation once the identification process is complete, which will determine the final disciplinary measures for the students involved.
We invite our readers to share their perspectives on the balance between political protest and academic freedom in the comments section below.
