Ovim se člankom na temelju izvornoga arhivskoga gradiva opisuje tijek studentskoga pokreta 1971., i to s isključivim osvrtom na grad Zadar. U tom kontekstu primarno je korištena dokumentacija Službe državne sigurnosti Republičkoga sekretarijata za unutrašnje poslove Socijalističke Republike Hrvatske. Ona je u svojem korpusu sadržavala brojne zabilješke, opservacije i zaključke o djelovanju zadarskih sveučilištaraca i njima svjetonazorski bliskih pojedinaca ili grupa s promatranoga područja. Ta je režimska služba vodila osobne dosjee nadziranih aktera za trajanja događaja koji su obilježili studentske aktivnosti u žarišnim trenucima hrvatskoga proljeća. Pritom je neophodno napomenuti da spomenuti dosjei promatrani zasebno ne moraju biti, odnosno nisu uvijek apsolutno relevantan materijal, ali u cjelini s ostalom dokumentacijom stvaraju nužne pretpostavke za dublje zadiranje i sveobuhvatnije analiziranje navedene teme. Upravo stoga nakana je ovakvim pristupom upozoriti na ključna ponašanja komunističkih represivnih tijela, a u tom smislu poglavito onih koja su bila prioritetna u pokušajima onemogućavanja ostvarenja studentskih ciljeva. This article, based on original archival records, presents the direction taken by the student movement in 1971, with exclusive reference to the city of Zadar. In this context, the documentation of the State Security Service of the Republican Secretariat for Internal Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Croatia (SDS RSUP SRH) was the principal source. This collection contains numerous notes, observations and conclusions about the activities of Zadar university students as well as of individuals or groups of people from the area who were close to them in terms of fundamental principles. As a result, it is important to point out that the personal files of the actors surveilled during the period of the events that marked the student activities in the crucial moments of the Croatian Spring were produced and maintained by the aforementioned arm of the regime. At the same time, one should note that the mentioned files observed separately are not always absolutely relevant material. However, as a whole, together with other documentation, they create the prerequisites for a deeper intrusion and a more comprehensive analysis of the topic of observation. The approach of this paper is aimed at highlighting the key behaviours of communist repressive bodies, and in this sense, especially of those who were prioritized in attempts to prevent the achievement of student goals.