Leo Gerdén, 22, has previously been active within The Center Party but is now completing his final year at Harvard University in the USA. Donald Trump's administration has recently withdrawn funding to universities and in recent days announced that they intend to revoke its certification to receive international students. A decision that was stopped by a court on Friday.
The feelings have really gone up and down. It's so many personal fates that are going to crash, says Gerdén, who is preparing a demonstration days before his graduation.
Gerdén describes an atmosphere where international students do not know if they can return next term and many are preparing to study in other countries instead.
"Making Jewish students targets"
You have been asked but refused to provide names of students who have demonstrated for Palestine. Why?
Because if we do, then there is no freedom of speech at this university or in this country anymore. If we give the Trump administration five names, they will ask for a hundred more. It's important to set a stop now.
The Trump administration claims that they want to stop anti-Semitism at Harvard, what do you say about that?
I have talked to many Jewish friends both in the USA and Israel since October 7, 2023, and they basically say the same thing: there is a problem with anti-Semitism within the pro-Palestine movement and it's not limited to this university, but nothing that Trump is doing right now has to do with it, rather it sets a target on Jewish students, says Gerdén.
May come to Sweden
Gerdén has understanding for that there are negative feelings towards rich elite universities like Harvard, but means that it's not to stop international exchanges or withdraw important funding for medical research.
Harvard has, according to Gerdén, the law on its side, and the legal resources – more lawyers than the federal state – to fight against Trump's new directives. But the situation is still uncertain and he warns that we may soon see a similar development in Europe.
Unfortunately, this is a fight we must prepare for also in Sweden.
