Lecture hall H1 occupied by ‘End Fossil Occupy’


Author: Bielefeld University

Activists of the group “End Fossil Occupy” occupied the lecture hall H1 of the University as well as one of the bridges in the university hall on Tuesday evening, 2 May – similar to other regional groups of the movement at the same time and across Germany. According to their own statements, the activists are campaigning for an end to fossil energies and are also making demands on universities. They plan the occupation until Thursday, 11 May. Rector Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Sagerer and Chancellor Dr. Stephan Becker took a look at the occupation at the university immediately after the start date on Tuesday evening and sought talks with the activists.

Rector Gerhard Sagerer made an urgent appeal to the activists to get involved in the democratic process within the university with their demands on the topic of sustainability.

The university management is in intensive exchange with the faculties so that the cancellation of courses in H1 can be avoided as far as possible in the next few days. Alternative rooms and teaching formats are currently being sought.
**Update 4 May**: Alternative rooms or formats (postponement and partly online formats) could already be found for the majority of the courses that were planned in H1 until 11 May.

According to the activists’ statements, the university management assumes that the lecture hall will remain open, accessible to all staff, people and that the protest will remain peaceful. The university’s security service has been informed about the ongoing occupation. According to their own statements, the activists are planning an alternative programme to previously planned courses in the H1 lecture hall until 11 May.

Translated with www.DeepL.com