The May 2024 Sit-Ins: A Turning Point at ETH Zurich
In May 2024, amid a wave of global campus activism responding to the escalating conflict in Gaza, approximately 70 students at ETH Zurich, Switzerland's premier technical university, organized two peaceful sit-ins in the institution's main hallway. These demonstrations were a direct call for the university to disclose and sever its research collaborations with Israeli institutions perceived as complicit in military activities linked to the Gaza operations. The students, many affiliated with pro-Palestinian groups, sat peacefully, holding banners and chanting slogans like 'We are all children of Gaza,' highlighting their demand for transparency in publicly funded research.
ETH Zurich, known formally as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, is a world-leading research powerhouse, consistently ranking among the top 10 universities globally for engineering and technology. Its collaborations span continents, including longstanding partnerships with Israeli entities such as the Weizmann Institute of Science through the Weizmann-ETH Zurich Bridge Program, which facilitates student exchanges and joint research. Students argued these ties indirectly support Israel's military-industrial complex, citing connections to arms manufacturers like Rafael Advanced Defense Systems via Technion-Israel Institute of Technology alumni and projects.
The protests echoed a broader European trend, with similar actions at universities in Zurich, Amsterdam, and Paris, where students urged divestment from Israel amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In Switzerland, a neutral country with strong academic ties to Israel, these events marked a rare direct challenge to institutional partnerships.
University Response: Police Called, Protesters Removed
Rather than engaging in dialogue, ETH Zurich administration alerted the Zurich cantonal police, leading to the forcible removal of the demonstrators. No violence was reported from the students' side, but the intervention highlighted tensions between campus security protocols and protest rights. ETH justified the action by citing disruptions to university operations and the need to maintain access to facilities.
In a June 2024 statement, ETH President Joël Mesot emphasized the university's commitment to 'fact-based and respectful academic debate,' rejecting calls for boycotts of Israeli universities. 'Science thrives on international collaboration without political interference,' he stated, underscoring ETH's policy against moratoriums on contacts with Israeli researchers. The university affirmed its adherence to ethical guidelines, including the European University Association's principles on academic freedom.
This stance aligns with Switzerland's tradition of academic neutrality, but critics, including the students, pointed to specific collaborations. For instance, ETH's non-renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Weizmann Institute in late 2025 was noted quietly, possibly in response to mounting pressure, though no official admission was made.
Legal Repercussions: Penal Orders and Court Battles
Post-protest, Zurich prosecutors issued penal orders to 38 students, imposing fines for charges including trespassing, coercion, and disruption of public order. These administrative sanctions, common in Swiss law for minor offenses, carried financial penalties and criminal records, potentially affecting future academic and professional opportunities.
Seventeen students appealed, facing trials despite high personal costs. In August and October 2025, Zurich courts heard cases. One landmark ruling partially acquitted four activists of unauthorized demonstration charges, as municipal police regulations do not apply on ETH grounds, but upheld trespass convictions. Another saw five receive suspended fines of 20 to 30 daily rates (CHF 30-60 each), with two-year probation.
- Trespass: Convictions based on private property rights of the university.
- Coercion: Alleged blocking of access, though students claimed minimal obstruction.
- Disruption: Fines scaled to income, averaging CHF 500-1,500 per student.
Support campaigns, like those from Swiss Action for Human Rights, raised funds for legal fees, framing the cases as suppression of dissent.
Read the full UN experts' statement (OHCHR)UN Experts Sound the Alarm on January 27, 2026
Ten United Nations human rights experts issued a joint statement on January 27, 2026, expressing 'deep alarm' at the criminalization of the ETH protesters. Signatories included Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and education rights. They argued the sanctions 'chill legitimate protest' and undermine academic freedom, urging Swiss authorities to drop charges and review university protest policies.
'Universities have a duty to respect human rights, including facilitating peaceful protests on campus issues,' the experts stated, highlighting concerns over complicity in international humanitarian law violations through research ties. This marks a rare UN intervention in a European academic dispute, amplifying global scrutiny.
The timing coincides with ongoing Gaza tensions and European campus protests, positioning ETH as a case study in balancing security and rights.
ETH Zurich's Collaborations Under Scrutiny
ETH's partnerships with Israeli institutions include student exchanges, joint grants, and research projects in AI, biotech, and engineering. The Weizmann-ETH Bridge Program, for example, supports PhD students and faculty mobility. Critics link Weizmann and Technion to military R&D, citing Technion's historical ties to Rafael and Unit 8200 alumni.
Students demanded a full audit, arguing public funding (ETH receives ~CHF 1.8 billion annually from Swiss taxpayers) necessitates ethical oversight. ETH countered that individual projects undergo ethics reviews, and broad boycotts harm science. In November 2025, ETH quietly let lapse its Weizmann MoU, alongside pledges against new ties with Technion and Haifa University due to military links.
Explore higher education opportunities across EuropePerspectives from Stakeholders: Students vs. Administration
Student activists, supported by groups like Swiss Action for Human Rights, view the prosecutions as disproportionate, stifling dissent on ethical research. 'We sought dialogue; they chose police,' one anonymous protester told media. Appeals continue, with solidarity rallies outside courts.
ETH defends its actions as necessary for operational continuity, emphasizing dialogue channels like town halls. Faculty opinions split: some support free speech expansions, others prioritize research neutrality. Swiss politicians, including Greens, called for policy reviews, while right-leaning voices backed university autonomy.
For academics navigating such tensions, resources like higher education career advice offer guidance on ethical dilemmas in research.
European Context: Protests Rippling Across Campuses
The ETH events mirror a 2024-2026 surge in European university protests. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam's university saw occupations; France's Sorbonne faced clashes. Demands focus on divestment, with successes like EPFL listing Israeli ties publicly.
Germany's universities, under antisemitism scrutiny, impose strict protest rules. The ETH case tests Switzerland's balance between neutrality and rights, potentially influencing EU-wide academic policies amid Horizon Europe funding debates.
- Amsterdam: Building occupations, police clearances.
- UK: Oxford, UCL encampments.
- Switzerland: ETH, Zurich U solidarity actions.
Human Rights Duties: What Do Universities Owe?
UN experts invoke the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), binding Switzerland, which protects assembly and expression. Universities, as public entities, must facilitate protests proportional to risks. The UNHRC's General Comment 34 stresses no prior restraint on campus speech.
Balanced views: While peaceful sit-ins are protected, universities argue private-like property rights allow eviction. Experts recommend dialogue protocols, ethics audits for collaborations, and protest zones. This aligns with UNESCO's 2020 academic freedom guidelines.ETH Zurich's statement on academic debate
Implications and Future Outlook
The prosecutions risk deterring activism, with criminal records impacting visas, jobs, and PhDs. For Europe's 5,000+ universities, this underscores needs for clear protest policies amid geopolitical tensions. Positive steps: ETH's MoU lapses signal responsiveness.
Outlook: Appeals may reach federal courts; UN pressure could prompt guidelines. Students eye BDS-like campaigns, while unis bolster ethics reviews. For professionals, staying informed aids career navigation in polarized academia.
Discover faculty positions at leading European institutions via higher ed faculty jobs.
Photo by Artyom Kabajev on Unsplash
Navigating Ethical Research in Higher Education
This saga highlights growing scrutiny on international collaborations. Universities must balance innovation with ethics, perhaps via public dashboards. Stakeholders advocate training in human rights for admins.
- Implement ethics committees for partnerships.
- Create mediated dialogue forums.
- Protect whistleblowers on complicity.
Aspiring researchers can rate professors and courses at Rate My Professor to inform choices amid such debates.
