:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/YXOTEL3I4NDC5CCU367GLWEWRU.jpg "Students demolish the sculpture of Samothrace to demand an end to sexual harassment in the UNAM FAD 1")
There Faculty of Arts and Design (FAD) Xochimilco Campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), remains under public surveillance, since last February they began an indefinite strike, then an active strike in March.
A group of students knocked down Sculpture of Samothrace to demand an end to the alleged sexual harassment of FAD teachers at UNAM
What happened was because the students pointed out a series of deficiencies of the authorities On the campus Xochimilco. In the petition on which they have been working for several weeks with the corresponding academic authorities, several points are displayed. Students are asking for more security, an efficient medical service, maintenance, care of school materials and support for their artists from the start of their career.
“The equipment we need to work is not well maintained, they don’t provide us with the basic equipment. We don’t have a decent space or equipment to play sports, the medical and psychological service of the faculty is very deficient“, explained a student in a video that has gone viral on the platform ICT Tac.
However, as part of International Women’s Day, this 8 Marchthe accusations of sexual abuse and harassment that several FAD students have been denouncing for several years are coming back to the fore.
Given the inattentiveness of faculty directors who presumably failed to resolve previous issues and the professors allegedly accused of rape were not fired, the students took drastic action. On March 10 a group of students demolished the Victory of Samothrace sculpturereplica of the work discovered in 1863 on the island of Samothrace.
It is one of the symbols that the Faculty of Arts and Design has erected since its founding, as it represents the careers taught there.
Around 4 p.m. on Friday, the winged Samothrace, which rested on a pedestal measuring at least a meter and a half, was tied with ropes and fell directly to the ground from the main esplanade of the DCP. Early reports showed slight damage to the wings and lower body of the woman he evokes. It was also covered in purple fabric to reinforce the to fight for the respect of women what students are looking for.
As for the base of the sculpture, it was painted with a black spray where the caption could be appreciated which reads the following, “Throw away that western white shit and Samothrace too”. Similarly, several walls in the school were lined with texts pointing the finger at allegedly violent teachers.
Immediately, the FAD authorities issued a statement on what had happened, in which they indicated that they had been received at the office and agreed to address the issue at the working tables.
“A group of people gathered outside the legal office and later at the Directorate to demand the course of the prosecution for gender violence. We took care of it and it was agreed to continue with the work tables. However, a next action taken was to demolish the sculpture of Samothrace which had previously been raped during student strike”
Finally, they announced that the active strike would continue, to give “a quick solution to the demands presented”. Although the leaders of the FAD described themselves as assaults and attacks on the University’s heritage.
However, the students maintain their position to defend their demands, some photographs of the events and various comments of support for the demonstrators have circulated on social networks, “How strong they threw the Samothrace of the FAD”, “Marinetti has market so that the little FAD girls could really run”, “The FAD woke up and the girls launched Samothrace, something excellent”, “I love this new generation of FAD. And no, it was never made of stone, it is full of scum”, “The action against Samothrace hurt me a little but I am happy with the direct action that is being taken against the high command of the FADs. They’ve taken the student body for years to this extent and net is no less.”
Remember that on Monday, February 20, the students had already demonstrated for the same problem, they left the CU Metro at Presbytery of Ciudad Universitariauniversity authorities to settle their claims, in addition to the fact that several cases of harassment were revealed at this time.
Among the scuffle, they managed to spray paint the lower part of the iconic mural done by David Alfaro Siqueiroswhich represents “a neohumanist national culture of universal depth”, which is located precisely in the building of the presbytery of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
On March 8, there was a second appeal to the principal to have the charges against the teachers heard. A contingent from the Faculty of Arts and Design of UNAM went to the march organized at the Zócalo in Mexico City. Composed of at least a hundred students, since until then the cases of sexual harassment by their teachers still in activity had not been resolved.
What does Samothrace represent?
On entering the Faculty of Arts and Design, the first thing the visitor sees is the copy of the Victory of Samothrace, the Greek goddess Nike, that of victory, whose original, devoid of arms and head, has was rescued from the bottom of the sea. In ancient times it was the favorite of sailors to place it at the front of all kinds of boats, especially of war.
Like other large formats that are in the central courtyard of the St. Charles Academy, the victory also called winged is a reproduction in plaster; the originals were worked in marble and are found in European museums, such as the Louvre in Paris.
This sculpture has become the indisputable distinctive sign of FAD UNAM, about the meaning, in Greek mythology it was known as goddess of victory, symbol of naval victories, whose wings have been clipped so that she can never leave the city. He usually appears depicted with wings and wearing a palm or laurel wreath.