For University Movement: 12 cases of violence in student protest by party thugs

Full response: 

The Movement for University denouncing the violence exercised by party thugs!

Today, for the third day in a row, students and activists of the For University Movement have been physically attacked, threatened, and offended by party thugs. Key kick, hair pull, kicks, slaps and fists are the main forms of violence young people have faced.

At least 12 cases of such attacks by party perpetrators have been recorded during these days, of which the majority of the violators have been girls. In most of these cases, aggressors have been at Democratic Party forums. We call on the DP's governing structures, as well as President Lulzim Basha, to withdraw from acts of violence and other methods aimed at instigation and division.

The same call applies to leaders of other parties, to stop and distance themselves from any form of violence or pressure. In fact, students in protest before the Ministry of Education are facing a co-ordinated campaign of disinformation and attempted division.

The Movement for University calls on all political parties to halt divisive actions against students. Even harder than we are, the call for non-involved party involvement comes from thousands of students unanimously. It is those who have realised that parties have only one interest: the divisions of students and the instrumentising of the protest for their agendas.

Through widespread slander from several channels and on several levels has attempted to spread even lies as if the Movement has prevented the protesters of “Astiri” from joining the protest. Not only was this lie revealed by the lack of evidence linking the students of Movement with the case in question, but the accusers themselves later claimed by the photos that it was a party activist who didn't link anything to us.

We also condemn any act of violence or push for violence by party militants. These two days -- Movement students, girls and boys -- have become the target of a series of physical attacks by political party thugs. Our only defense has been student mass that in every attempt has come our way.

Student protest has only one central objective: unconditional acceptance of the students' basic demands, which leaves no room for negotiations.