2018 Etrurian student protests
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| 2018 Etrurian student protests | |||
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| File:SanAlessandroRiot.jpg Students clashing with Federal Police in San Alessandro | |||
| Date | 5 June - 26 June 2018 | ||
| Location | Various cities in Etruria | ||
| Caused by |
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| Goals |
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| Methods | Demonstrations, riots, civil disobedience | ||
| Resulted in | Protests failed to achieve any goals | ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
| Number | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | 5
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| Injuries | 886
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| Arrested | ≈403 | ||
A series of public protests occurred in various cities throughout Etruria beginning on 5 June 2018 and continuing until the 26 June. The first protest took place in Vicalvi, Etruria's largest city by population, initially focused on the controversial National Dignity Act; however, as protests spread throughout the country, their scope expanded to include political opposition to the far-right Tribune Movement government under Francesco Carcaterra. Initially the led primarily by students through the ResistenzaEtruria movement, however, as they spread the protests drew out other age groups and professionals.
The protests marked the largest and most politically charged since the anti-reform protests of the late 1990s, with an estimated 25,000-55,000 protesters taking to the streets at any time in early to mid-June. The students initially demanded a repeal of the National Dignity Act, which penalised academic discussion of alleged war-crimes committed by Etruria during the Solarian War and its colonial period. Many student bodies, including ResistenzaEtruria viewed this is an attack on the freedom of speech, freedom of thought and academic independence. Yet, the issues expanded alongside the number and range of participants to include general opposition to the government, opposition to the right-ward drift of Etrurian politics and supposed emergence of authoritarianism.
According to Etrurian authorities, protests turned violent in some parts of the country, and pro-Tribune Movement television reported that the protesters attacked police stations and law enforcement personnel and installations, and started fires, though arson was denied and contested by protesters and anti-Tribune media outlets. By the end of the protests, five individuals had been killed, including one who died in police custody, while over 800 were injured and 403 arrests had been made. A further 111 students had tuition and financial grant support revoked by the Ministry of Education for their involvement in violent clashes with police.
On the day that the protests were officially declared over, the government lifted a ban on the printed editions Gaullican newspaper Le Monde, after it posted a op-ed by an Etrurian academic in violation of the National Dignity Act, though the blocking of the Etrurian-language version of the Le Monde website remained in place.