Tigray region police attacked students from Mekele University as they protested to express their discontent regarding graduation timing and related issues.

The students, aiming for timely graduation by requesting additional semesters to make up for lost academic time during the prolonged closure of schools amidst the Tigray conflict, marched peacefully, starting from the main Mekele University campus to the city center on Friday.

The regional police declared the demonstration unauthorized and illegal, resorting to violence by beating students with batons and rifle butts. Traffic police officers were observed obstructing the road to impede the demonstration. Witnesses recounted that “the police violently beat, manhandled, and detained students.” At least 20 students were detained, according to the witnesses. A video depicting a police officer assaulting a female student and throwing her to the ground has sparked outrage among many.

The students were initially informed that they would graduate at the end of this year after attending three additional intensive courses to compensate for the lost academic time. However, this promise was broken, and they were told that they would not be able to graduate before the next year, resulting in their dissatisfaction and subsequent protest, as two students told the BBC.

“It’s not fair to study for eight years to get a degree,” one student said, adding, “There is no reason why we should be treated differently from other universities.”