ACADEMIC AUTHORITIES TODAY (TUESDAY) CLOSED MADRID UNIVERSITY AFTER VIOLENT CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND STUDENTS IN WHICH PITCHED BATTLES WERE FOUGHT ON THE CAMPUS WITH STONES, TRUNCHEONS AND WATER JETS.

TODAY THE UNIVERSITY GOVERNORS ANNOUNCED TEACHING ACTIVITIES AT ALL FACULTIES HAD BEEN SUSPENDED PROVISIONALLY FOR THREE DAYS. STUDENTS WERE BANNED FROM APPROACHING THE UNIVERSITY PRECINCTS.

CLASHES AT THE UNIVERSITY BEGAN LAST FRIDAY (JANUARY 27) WHEN POLICE DISPERSED THOUSANDS OF MADRID WORKERS AND STUDENTS TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST INCREASING PRICES AND IN FAVOUR OF FREE TRADE UNIONS.

YESTERDAY'S OUTBURST OF VIOLENCE BEGAN WHEN SOME 700 STUDENTS, SHOUTING "FREEDOM", TRIED TO MARCH FROM THE MEDICAL FACULTY TO THE RECTOR'S OFFICE TO PROTEST AGAINST POLICE ARRESTS.

A POLICE COMMANDANT, A LIEUTENANT, AND THREE JOURNALISTS WERE INJURED IN YESTERDAY'S CLASHES.

THE JOURNALISTS WERE - SIGNOR ALDO TRIPPINI, OF UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL; MR ANDREW TARNOWSKI, REUTER CORRESPONDENT, AND MR JOOST DE RUITER, CORRESPONDENT IN SPAIN FOR THE DUTCH NEWSPAPER "DE TELEGRAAF".

ABOUT 50 STUDENTS WERE ARRESTED DURING THE CLASHES, INCLUDING THREE GIRLS.

A STUDENT DIED TODAY IN MADRID AFTER JUMPING FROM A SIXTH FLOOR APARTMENT AS POLICE ENTERED TO SEARCH HIS ROOM. ACCORDING TO HIS FAMILY, THE POLICE SAID HE WAS IMPLICATED IN COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES.