Tags / Occupy

A new wave of student movements and occupations of university buildings is taking place around Europe. In Amsterdam, the 25th of March marked the one month anniversary of the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, an administrative building of the Universiteit van Amsterdam located in the center of the city in Spui street. A group of students are now living in the university space and organising a whole range of activities such as lectures, workshops and presentations with local and international intellectuals who support the movement. They are demanding direct democracy, participation in the management processes, the halt of the financial cut and of the progressive corporatization of the university.
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Student movement leaders discuss the main events of the occupation.

Posters in the Maagdenhuis carry the slogans of the student movement.

Posters in the Maagdenhuis carry the slogans of the student movement.

The Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub, has been occupied since the end of February 2015.

Former students who witnessed student demonstrations in the 1960's visit the Maagdenhuis.

A schedule in the Maagdenhuis details the events student movement leaders have organized for each day.

Students listen to a lecture by French philosopher Jacques Rancière one month after the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub.

Students listen to a lecture by French philosopher Jacques Rancière one month after the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub.

Students listen to a lecture by French philosopher Jacques Rancière one month after the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub.

Students listen to a lecture by French philosopher Jacques Rancière one month after the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub.

Students listen to a lecture by French philosopher Jacques Rancière one month after the occupation of the Maagdenhuis, the University of Amsterdam's administrative hub.

Student protesters gather at the entrance of the occupied Maagdenhuis.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

A film-maker is recording messages from supporters for a conceptual video propaganda

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Camp in Mongkok, Nathan Road, first aid volunteers tent in one of the busiest road ofHong Kong.

Daily life in the occupied area of Mongkok.

Perimeter of the occupied area in Mongkok.

Mongkok, Nathan Road; the street is decorated with propaganda street art.

Pro-democracy propaganda against China's and Hong Kong's government

Hong Kong citizens observing the occupied area in Mongkok.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Students, artist and designers support the Umbrella movement making daily artistic pro-democracy propaganda.

Camp under the Government Palace and Police Headquarters in Admiralty.

Free wifi and battery charging station for pro-democracy supporters in Admiralty

Another man had already been killed by a teargas canister shot during previous protests. In reaction, young people from the Chepesi party rioted for days against the police, yelling slogans and calling them Katil (criminals, murderers).

The Popular Republican Pary (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, or CHP) is the longest standing party in Turkey. It represents the strongest left-wing political force in the country.

Many young boys and men take to the streets. On one side, they throw stones and molotovs, on the other plastic bullets, teargas and Toma.

After the Gezi Park riots, many movements emerged to oppose the AKP and its leader, Prime Minister Recip Teyyip Erdogan, who has enforced various restrictions on freedom of speech and the press.

The protestors include both young and old people, the former in the front whilst the latter remain in the back to play a supporting role in clashes with the armed forces.

In suburbs prone to such clashes, once often encounters strong local support.

Since the beginning of the clashes, 9 people have died and more than 8163 have been injured. This does not include the number of arrests; it also makes the violence one of the most tragic events in recent Turkish history.

The number of Turkish security forces deployed in the neighborhood has steadily increased since the first wave of violence. During the clashes, police never entered the heart of the suburb, but are now slowly making deeper forays into the neighborhood.

After weeks of protests following the Soma mine disaster, police resorted to using real ammunition during the most violent clashes. Previously, only rubber bullets were used; the use of live ammunition has since then led to causalities.

Neighborhood life only stops in the greatest moments of tension, when vendors close their shops in order to protect themselves and their belongings. Many watch the events from a distance.