After two years in which buildings and rooms at universities in Berlin became focal points for pro‑Palestinian activists—who barricaded themselves there to protest Israel and the war in Gaza—Jewish students at Technische Universität Berlin (Berlin Technical University) have decided to adopt the same tactic. Since Monday morning they have been barricading themselves in the building of the general student assembly.
The occupation is intended to shine a spotlight on and draw attention to the antisemitic biases occurring at the university, and the praise that terror organizations receive across campus and within the student council and among the student body in general.
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Jewish students occupied the student union building at Berlin Techincal University to protest antisemisim
(Photo: besetzung.gegen.antisemitismus/Instagram)
In a statement issued by the student group “Occupy Against Antisemitism," the students declared that they are protesting the student council elections held at the end of last month, and the fact that among those elected were antisemitic students belonging to authoritarian groups and organizations that in the past glorified Hamas and the terror attack of October 7.
In addition, the protesters claim that the newly elected student‑council members were responsible for violent demonstrations around campus last year. They added that the elections themselves took place in “a non‑democratic climate, where any critical thought was blocked and Jewish students became the subject of jokes every time they raised their concerns.”
“We are students at TU Berlin who belong to the Jewish left, and raise criticism and awareness about antisemitism at the university,” the statement read. “We believe the student council must include the broad spectrum of students at the university, including Jewish and Israeli students.”
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An Israeli flag and a menorah in one of the rooms
(Photo: besetzung.gegen.antisemitismus/Instagram)
The students also demand more actions and events against antisemitism on campus, the removal of the student council’s support from all antisemitic groups on campus, and a new appointment to the position responsible for combating antisemitism at the university.
Universities in Berlin have been hotspots for violent and severe protests over the past two years. Muslim students and far‑left activists barricaded themselves in lecture rooms, hoisted banners, sprayed graffiti and shouted harsh slogans against Israel and Jews, demanding that the universities cut all ties with academic institutions in Israel.
Even in this hostile atmosphere, TU Berlin distinguished itself. In May it emerged that the university’s president, Geraldine Rauch, had “liked” a tweet showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a swastika and posts alleging that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Rauch initially attempted to remove the posts and the likes, but they were finally exposed and she received severe condemnation for both the liking and the discovery that she had toured pro‑Russian sites supportive of Hamas.
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The university’s president, Geraldine Rauch had “liked” an antisemitic tweet
(Photo: Technical University of Berlin)
The university’s antisemitism officer, Ufa Jensen, appointed by Rauch against the wishes of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, spoke with her at the time and said they had agreed it was a mistake. However, Jensen also stated that “from a scientific perspective, tweets alleging that Israel is committing genocide or war crimes are not 100% antisemitism, even in light of the fact that such accusations are now being discussed in international courts.”
Last month, Rauch—who had done almost nothing against violence toward Israel or the terror‑atmosphere Jewish students experienced at the university—sent an email to the student council about an evening called “Speak Now: Voices Against Islamism," held at the university. In the email Rauch made clear that she and the university distance themselves from the event because it included Islamist trends and might spread anti‑Muslim sentiments. She also requested oversight of the event and intervention where anti‑Muslim messages might be transmitted.
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Pro-Palestinian protesters clashes at Free University of Berlin
(Photo: Annegret Hilse/ Reuters)
The event was organized by an association of Jewish‑Kurdish women and the flyer promoting it included testimonies of women in the organization who had been victims of Islamic violence. Rauch’s response and intervention ignited great anger and statements that “she had lost her moral compass,” with demands for her resignation.
Meanwhile, a discussion scheduled for Tuesday at the Freie Universität Berlin with Nova massacre survivor Hadar Sharvit was moved at the last minute to another location after Israeli and German security officials warned against holding the discussion at the university.
Freie Universität, the Free University of Berlin, too has become fertile ground for brutal antisemitic demonstrations: a Jewish student who was beaten now only comes to the campus under police escort; protesters marked numerous buildings with inverted red triangles (the symbol used by Hamas to mark targets); in October 2024 protesters attacked administrators and lecturers with violence and caused property damage worth around €100 000; after the university rejected in December a proposal to host an exhibition about pogroms against Jews, this year it approved an event calling for “Globalizing the Intifada” and invited Francesca Albanese—UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories—who rejects the antisemitic dimension of the October 7 attack, to lecture on campus.