16/05/2024
We have been made aware of a recent incident on the Altes AKH campus, where international student activists of the Palestinian cause were told to “geh zurück in deine Heimat [go back to your home country]” by the police, when they asked for English translations of German language police instructions. We are concerned that this sets a dangerous precedent for the overall treatment of the international student, researcher and worker body at the University, especially BIPoC, of all political stances, and exposes them to further racist police action on campus. As The International Society, a society created for supporting and building solidarity with international students and researchers at the University of Vienna and beyond, we condemn these racist words and actions of the police. We also hope that the University of Vienna will not take this incident of racism by the police on University grounds lightly. We urge the University of Vienna to commit to safeguarding the well-being of the international community on campus and to ensure that all international students, researchers, lecturers, workers, and invited guests feel welcome and safe on campus in order to facilitate an open and productive international academic dialogue and exchange. As The International Society at the University of Vienna, we reaffirm our commitment to fight racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and all forms of hatred and bigotry on campus.
