The UAB's decision to remove the painting, which included the words "independence," "socialism," and "feminism," follows a judicial request. Students consider this action a "violation of collective rights" and a "setback for political freedoms," asserting that defending the mural means defending "collective memory, student organization, and the politicization of campuses."
We will not let them get away with it and will repaint the mural as many times as necessary.
The national spokesperson for the SEPC, Tània Ros, highlighted the UAB as a "benchmark" in the student movement and stated that the mural has been "a witness to all the struggles of recent years." According to Ros, erasing it is an "insult" to the student movement's history.
The UAB has complied with the judicial decision, which stems from a complaint by the constitutionalist entity Impulso Ciudadano in 2019. University sources explained that, although the judicial order from 2024 only required covering the mural as a precautionary measure, an appeal filed by the UAB was dismissed by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) on September 25, 2025, making the precautionary measures a firm decision.
If we let this attack go unanswered, we will be opening the door to normalizing censorship.
Students are aware of the tension that may arise during the mobilization. Aïna Granell, SEPC spokesperson at the UAB, has warned about possible attempts at eviction and police presence to prevent the mural from being repainted.
