At noon yesterday, Wednesday 2 September 2015, the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) was the scene of a protest organized by members of the Amin Abel Student Liberation Front (Felabel). The protest was sparked by the fact that the university authorities had promised to reopen the university dining hall for lunch but failed to do so. Students receive full meals for only RD$5 at the dining hall.
The hooded protesters, wearing ski masks, were also demanding the allocation of 5% of the national budget to higher education as well as more classes for UASD students. At around 1:30 pm, a group of women students, also wearing masks, entered the Judicial Sciences faculty, which is out of range of the tear gas grenades, in order to force teachers to stop their work, while students ran outside fearing for their safety.
As a precautionary measure in response to the protests, the Santo Domingo Metro system bypassed its University stop. The National Police Riot Squad was standing by.