This movement was one of the earliest expressions of opposition to the communist regime in Romania and occurred in the context of significant political and social changes internationally, including the events in Hungary in 1956.
These students demanded changes such as: abolishing the cult of personality, eliminating excessive taxes and levies on farmers, increasing salaries in line with price increases, immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country, economic contracts with all countries, freedom of the press and speech, removing the Russian language from education, reducing the number of hours of Marxism, scholarships for all students etc.
Lists with the students were made and the leaders of the revolt were taken by the Securitate, while the others were loaded onto trucks and transported to a nearby location, Becicherecu Mic, a former military camp.
Military personnel dispatched to the scene, after a burst of gunfire, forced entry, arresting several hundred students and transporting them to the same destination, Becicherecu Mic.
The students in the first group were tried on November 15–16 under Decree 199/1950 and, according to Article 1, letter c (a crime against state order), they could have received the death penalty.
A large number of students were expelled, and many teaching staff members were sanctioned or removed from the education system.