The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona asked the Departament d’Interior of the Generalitat de Catalunya to consider measures to prevent far-right activist Vito Quiles from appearing on campus on 19 October 2026, Monday Bellaterra on Monday. The university said no authorisation had been granted for an appearance. It wanted to prevent the campus from being used for political purposes and minimise risks to the university community.
The request follows recent clashes in Pamplona, after Quiles announced an appearance there on 15 October 2026. Media reports say protests and police operations took place, leading to arrests. The university also recalls 16 October 2025: Quiles was on the premises without permission that day, causing disruption, and the Mossos d’Esquadra had to intervene.
The UAB stresses that it has its own authorisation and security rules for events on campus. At the same time, the right to assembly applies outside university buildings. According to security sources, the Departament d’Interior said legal and operational options were being considered. The university, Mossos d’Esquadra and municipal authorities usually coordinate access restrictions, policing arrangements and any possible exclusion zones to ensure safety on the campus.
Quiles had announced on social media that he would appear in Bellaterra on Monday. The university makes clear that, in the absence of an application, it will not authorise the use of any premises. Whether and how the police can prevent an individual from being present depends on assessments made on the ground, for example whether specific threats to public order or university security can be established.
By contacting the Departament d’Interior, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona says it aims to act preventively and avoid a repeat of the incidents in Pamplona and the previous year. The request once again raises the question of how universities can safeguard their autonomy and protect teaching activities while also ensuring freedom of expression and assembly in public spaces.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).