Statement by the UAB

The UAB Governing Team wishes to express its utter condemnation of the illegal party announced on social networks which took place on the night of 17 to 18 September on the UAB campus. In addition to leading to the gathering of thousands of people on campus, it also included uncivil acts and robberies, and left the campus littered with trash and damaged several campus buildings.

We consider these attitudes to be completely uncivil and irresponsible, both by the anonymous organisers and by the thousands of individuals who attended the party on campus that night. It is even more irresponsible when considering the current circumstances we find ourselves in under the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governing Team began to act as soon as it discovered the dimensions of the call, magnified by the quick spreading of news through social networks. The university's control protocols were put into motion, with security agents contacting both the Mossos d’Esquadra and local Cerdanyola del Vallès police agents to work towards closing down the campus' entrances.

Despite these efforts, the nature of the campus, with entrances from all sides and large open spaces, made it impossible to stop the gathering of thousands of students in different points of the university campus. In view of what has occurred, we and the public authorities have taken the time to profoundly reflect on the need to prevent anything similar from happening in the future.

We would like to reiterate the fact that an institution as is the university is and must continue to be a place in which students and professionals can come to learn, do research, conduct work, and, in short, be a place in which benefit and progress is generated for society as a whole. In no case can it become a place in which uncontrolled and potentially dangerous activities may take place. We are firmly dedicated to maintaining it that way. Not only that, it is also crucial to continue to guarantee respect and a peaceful coexistence among all of the people living on campus and our surrounding neighbours. However, it is not our sole responsibility and we take this opportunity to emphasise the need for all social agents to also collaborate and show their commitment.

The events which occured during the early morning hours of 18 September must not be repeated. It would not be fair to this university nor to any of its members living and working here, and above all, it would not be just for our society nor for our country.