I would never permit an occupation in advance.

Interviewee: Nora Sternfeld

Someone once asked me if he could occupy this exhibition space here in the Aalto University as part of an exhibition programme. I replied that there are two possibilities, either you hold an exhibition for which there are guidelines and you can work according to these, which means that you’ll be treated just like everyone else who wants to stage an exhibition here, or if you want to occupy the space then you can’t ask me and I can’t decide for you. If you occupy the space I can express my solidarity with the action, but if your occupation succeeds, then you are the ruler of the space. That’s the condition for solidarity. No one can give permission for an occupation. There’s no such thing as a permitted occupation. That’s how I would have understood the occupation of the academy. In terms of the actual substance of the action, it was very clear why the refugees occupied the auditorium. I often think about how I would act in such a case if I were ever in a position of responsibility for the academy. And I mean this in the double sense of the word, as bearing responsibility and as someone responding on the basis of solidarity. It’s not about getting involved in everything going on or the squatters inviting me to take part in the discussion beforehand. On the contrary. The most important thing for me when acting out of solidarity is to ensure that I know where and what my position is. It is only from there that I can speak and respond. I therefore cannot become involved in certain things, otherwise I’d be acting against the principle of solidarity, and yet on the other hand I can nonetheless take a position when certain political things take place, when a political constellation comes about where power relations are challenged.