The Plaza of Science occupies the centre of the D’Aubainne University. Young people fill it day and night, congregating, debating, partying, and patronizing the small book and snack vendors that ply their trades here. The statue of Pallas Athena that once stood in the centre of the plaza was pulled down in the student riots of the early ’70s, and a broad platform or stage has since been built in its place. Students use this platform for plays, performances, art, and occasional political demonstrations. A common political demand currently in vogue among the students is that the government repeal its oppressive anti-drug laws.
