“We are confident that the police will take the proper measures to verify that the camp is solely used for the purposes of peaceful freedom of expression,” said president of Freie Universität Berlin Professor Günter M. Ziegler. “We draw the line at antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination, as well as violence, calls to violence, and property damage. We will respond to any of these behaviors by filing criminal charges.

“Over the past few months, Freie Universität Berlin has been a place for intense dialogue, with multiple events dedicated to discussing conflicts in Israel, Gaza, and the Middle East from different perspectives. At Freie Universität Berlin, conflicts and wars are important elements of academic discourse in our research and teaching, as are debates surrounding how they arise, their dynamics, and the effects these have on politics and society. We at Freie Universität Berlin advocate for the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in the context of demonstrations and peaceful protests. We are a university that thrives on dialogue and debate. We foster the kind of open and democratic culture required to discuss a wide range of topics, including controversial and difficult ones.”