Striking students took over the administration building after riots and demand improvements in housing, food and infrastructure policies
Institutes and faculties of (University of São Paulo) released public statements against the students on strike, which began on Thursday afternoon (May 7, 2026). The demonstrations criticize the invasion of the central administration building and the damage to property. ANDstudents and internet users repudiate the colleges’ position, claiming that the occupation was only carried out because the rectory ended the negotiation of student agendas.
In a note, the FM (Faculty of Medicine) what divergences should be “conducted through institutional debate”.The FD (Faculty of Law) that the right of student demonstration “is legitimate and must be fully ensured”, but that “no claim — however relevant it may be — authorizes practices of violence, intimidation, vandalism of public property or invasion of institutional spaces”.
ECA (School of Communications and Arts) that “Dialogue is our primary instrument”. FFLCH (Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences) that the occupation runs the risk of “mischaracterize the legitimacy of the claims presented”.
FEA (Faculty of Economics, Administration, Accounting and Actuarial Science) support the “democratic coexistence and the preservation of public heritage”, while EP (Polytechnic School) be aligned with the rectory and defended the return of academic activities and the end of negotiations with students.
The occupation
The occupation began during a protest linked to the strike at São Paulo state universities. Around 400 students participated in the demonstration. Since Thursday morning, students had been camping in front of the rectory’s entrance and, at the end of the afternoon, a group jumped over the building’s gate and knocked down glass doors to enter the central administration lobby.
📹 USP students occupy rectory and demand resumption of negotiations
🏛️ Students from the University of São Paulo occupied, on Thursday (May 7, 2026), the institution’s rectory building. The group demands that rector Aluísio Augusto Cotrim Segurado resume negotiations on…
— Poder360 (@Poder360)
Military police monitored the movement, but there was no confrontation. On Friday morning (8), the Military Police surrounded the occupied building and blocked access to the rectory street. Vehicles remained in the vicinity of the building, while students reported that water and electricity were cut off at the site.
The occupation was carried out days after the rectory announced the end of negotiations on the adjustment of scholarships for the (Student Permanence and Training Support Program). The University’s proposal proposed an increase of R$27 in full aid, which would go from R$885 to R$912. The (Central Student Directory) classified the adjustment as insufficient and stated that the occupation seeks to press for the resumption of dialogue with the university management.
Strike at state universities
The student mobilization spread across the 3 state universities in São Paulo — USP, and — with agendas linked to student permanence, housing, food and infrastructure conditions.
At USP, the strike began on April 14 and has already affected more than 100 courses. In addition to the increase in scholarships, students are asking for improvements in University Restaurants and the infrastructure of the university’s official student housing, CRUSP (Conjunto Residencial da Universidade de São Paulo).
At Unicamp, students discuss strike signs under the slogan “expansion without precariousness“. The movement criticizes the creation of new courses without proportional expansion of housing, infrastructure and hiring of employees. Among the demands are improvements in health services, transport and student assistance. One of the points raised by students is the absence of university housing on the Limeira campus.
At Unesp, students approved strikes and are discussing a possible state strike. The demands include a lack of teachers, delays in renovations, insufficient university restaurants and low amounts of living allowances. Currently, only part of the campuses have student housing and subsidized restaurants.
