Cancel Culture for the German Armed Forces

The University of Osnabrück has blocked a student-led workshop on combating military advertising, sparking a dispute over free speech and political activism. Organisers from the Workshop for Antifascist Actions (UA) claim the cancellation lacked legal justification and accuse the university of bowing to external pressure. The row has now escalated, with the student group vowing to hold the event again under the same title.

The workshop, titled Adbusting: Combating Military Advertising with Minimal-Invasive Activism, was scheduled to take place on university premises. Just before it began, the administration revoked the room booking without providing a clear legal reason. University President Susanne Menzel-Riedl later cited concerns that the event promoted vandalism, but organisers received no formal explanation at the time.

A university spokesperson argued that the room had been booked *just hours before the event* and that the title was not disclosed, making approval impossible. The UA disputed this, presenting evidence that the booking was made well in advance. They also suspect the cancellation followed pressure from the *Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung* (NOZ), which had questioned the workshop’s legality in an article prior to the ban. The student collective then commissioned an independent legal review. It concluded that the university’s actions were baseless and raised constitutional concerns, effectively criminalising political education. The assessment also dismissed claims that the workshop incited illegal activity. Meanwhile, the AStA (General Student Committee) backed the event but acknowledged potential ambiguities in its announcement, urging dialogue with the presidency. Further scrutiny revealed that the *Deutsche Polizeigewerkschaft* (DPolG), a police union, had also inquired about the workshop. This contact reportedly influenced Menzel-Riedl’s decision. The president only responded to the UA’s request for clarification after being pressed by a news outlet.

The UA remains defiant and plans to rerun the workshop under the same name. Their legal assessment found no grounds for the university’s accusations, leaving the dispute unresolved. The case highlights tensions between academic freedom and institutional oversight, with organisers insisting their event falls within protected political expression.