The University of Amsterdam (UvA) has been closed until May 15 due to an episode of violence reported during a peaceful pro-Palestine demonstration, as announced by the university itself. These protests originated with an orderly walkout from UvA’s Roeterseiland Campus and were organized in conjunction with students from other Dutch universities. Despite the initial peace, a shift in atmosphere and crowd composition was observed as new faces joined in.
Those who remained post the walkout chose to enter and vandalize university institutions, the Library Learning Centre suffering considerable damage. While the claims on how the protestors came to be locked into the building from UvA and police differ, they concur on the fact that the occupation was ended later that day. Police have announced that force was used exclusively against those who disregarded police instructions or assumed an antagonistic stance. Protestors, however, accuse the police of brutality, though no arrests were made at the scene. An investigation into the matter is underway.
The protestor’s demands involve the necessity for UvA to make its collaborations with companies and institutions in Israel transparent and, eventually, to stop them. Calls for the university’s response to allegations of disproportionate arrests against protestors have been made, alongside pleas for amnesty for protestors facing legal repercussions. UvA’s Executive Board maintain that these collaborations in Israel do not amplify military violence or human rights violations and serve to advance academic ties.
These demonstrations have become more frequent since Israel’s offensive in Rafah that commenced on May 6. By the University’s estimation, the debris from these protests has resulted in €1.5M in damages from May 6 to May 8. This has led to the closure of UvA since May 8.