Students across Lyseria, particularly in Universities, are protesting for funding. The move comes as fees go up and th government slashes away the very last of the subsidies to public education passed under the Torres administration. Primer Ministro Maria Ramos and her Minister of Education, Ministro Sancho Cuchilla, defended the move and argued that this spending cut would allow for greater tax cuts, which would in turn stimulate growth, allow for job opportunities and would allow those who worked hard to be able to earn enough money to further their education and the education of their children. Cuchilla also argued that this would allow all educational institutions the freedom to determine their own syllabuses, rather than be dictated to by an unnecessarily overly restrictive government. Cuchilla stated that these last cuts were part of the "final removal of the failed socialist cancer" that was former Primer Ministro Torres's education project.
Students have strongly rejected the cuts, with many boycotting lecturers and lessons, and others blockading campuses and preventing lecturers, teachers and fellow students until they and the government meet their demands for free, quality education for all academically capable individuals and that no one would be punished or discriminated against in any way for partaking in the protest. The move has been supported fully by some schools. Other schools and some universities, such as Cecilio Juan Pavoreal Universidad (often shortened to Pavoreal) in Burrovalle, Universidad de Lopeziudad (often shortened to Lopezi), Universidad de Puertoro (UP) and Universidad de Amanecer (UA), have seen management partially accept their demands, offering to try find ways to lower fees and that they may continue to protest. In Lyseria's largest University however, Universidad de Victoria (UV), and its most conservative one, Universidad de Leóniudad (often shortened to Leóni), management have called in police to disperse or arrest protestors for illegal action on private property. Management at UV and Leóni have also suspended many students, and several support staff and lecturers, for taking part in the protests and are threatening expulsion or firing for those who go on protesting.
Violence has broken out at both Universities, as well as at the Universidad de Lopeziudad when a motorist drove into a crowd of protestors blocking a road, injuring several, and was severely beaten until he could be removed to safety by police, at which stage his car was flipped. In Amanecer as well police threw smoke grenades and fired rubber bullets at protestors occupying the Amanecer CBD (Central Business District).
The greatest clash, however, came in the capital city of Victoria when UV students and many others from local highschools marched on the House of Representatives demanding that Primer Ministro Ramos and Ministro Cuchilla address their demands and respond directly to them. The protestors burst through the initial gate but stopped short of the line of police surrounding the House of Representatives. After refusing to leave and demanding that Ramos and Cuchilla come out and address them, police moved in and drove the protestors from the vicinity of the House of Representatives back onto Plaza Democracia. At this point the police gave protestors ten minutes to disperse peacefully, which the protestors refused to comply with. At this stage the police threw smoke grenades into the crowd and fired rubber bullets in, driving them away, and arrested 30.
Amongst those arrested was Isaac Precio, son of UV Vice Chancellor Maximiano Precio. The students were initially arrested on High Treason, which carries the death penalty, however it seems possible the charge will be dropped to Trespassing onto a Restricted Area, Damage to Public Property, Failure to Comply with Lawful Command and Resisting Arrest, which all in total should amount to a 2 month to 1 year prison sentence as well as hefty fines, or even 1 to 50 years in prison if Assaulting Officers of the Law is added (depending on the grievance of the assault).
Representante Carlos Domínguez, leader of the Partido del Trabajo (PT), has stated he will fight for the students call for free quality tuition, a position he has held for his entire, fairly short, political career, and will join with students in a rally tomorrow along with many members of his party, and has called on all members of all parties to join him in supporting the students in the march. Domínguez also challenged the arrests and called the actions of the police "utter brutality against unarmed students fighting for their right to education".
Victoria Police Commissioner Antonio Herrero has called the students protesting "rioting hooligans and, quite frankly, traitors", and called Domínguez's
comments "highly troubling" and "the ravings of an out of touch communist". He has vowed that the police will clamp down on any unauthorised protest on public ground and on any private ground should the private owners request their removal or if issues with disturbance of the peace was raised. While many citizens have spoken in favour of the students, many others have applauded the police for their actions and have called on them to "restore law and order".
Protests continue tomorrow regardless.
