May 7th 2024.
In Amsterdam, on Tuesday, German police took action to disperse a protest by a large group of pro-Palestinian activists who had earlier occupied a courtyard at the city's Free University. This has been a common occurrence in Europe as the ongoing protests against the war in Gaza, which have rocked American campuses, have spread across the continent.
Some of the demonstrators have even called for a break in academic ties with Israel, which has caused tensions to escalate. In Berlin, the protesters had set up around 20 tents and formed a human chain around them, with many covering their faces and shouting slogans in support of Palestine. The Berlin police intervened and called for the students to leave the campus, but some refused to comply and scuffles broke out between the police and the protesters. In some cases, the police had to use pepper spray to control the situation.
The university's administrators released a statement saying that the protesters had rejected any attempts at dialogue and thus, the police had to be called in to clear the campus. The president of Free University, Guenter Ziegler, emphasized that while they are always open to academic dialogue, they cannot condone such occupations on their campus.
The university's administrators also revealed that the protesters had attempted to enter and occupy various rooms and lecture halls on campus, and had even called on other students and professors to join in on the action. The organizers of the protest claimed that it was made up of students from various universities in Berlin and other individuals.
The mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, commended the university's decision to involve the police before the situation got out of hand. Similar protests and encampments have been seen in other European countries, including Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France, and Britain, following the lead of American campuses.
In the eastern German city of Leipzig, around 50 pro-Palestinian protesters set up tents on the campus of Leipzig University and occupied a lecture hall. The main student association in the state of Saxony, where Leipzig is located, called on the university to intervene and break up the occupation, citing concerns for the safety of Jewish and Israeli students as the group behind the protest had made antisemitic statements.
In another incident, Dutch police dispersed a similar pro-Palestinian demonstration camp at the University of Amsterdam. A police spokesperson confirmed that around 140 protesters were arrested, with two remaining in custody on suspicion of public violence. The police had to use force to restore order after the protest turned violent, with no immediate reports of injuries.
The Amsterdam University released a statement, saying that the demonstration on their Roeterseiland campus had to be ended due to concerns over public safety and order. They acknowledged that the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has had a significant impact on individual students and staff, and while they support the right to protest, they stress that dialogue is the only way to move forward.
Following the dismantling of the protest camp, a crowd of around 3,000 demonstrators, including students and academic staff, gathered near the location, chanting slogans in support of Palestine and against the police. One lecturer from the university's media studies department addressed the crowd, calling for a complete academic boycott of Israel as the only way forward.
In Amsterdam, a group of pro-Palestinian activists caused a stir on Tuesday as they occupied a courtyard at Berlin's Free University. This is just one of many protests that have been taking place across Europe, echoing the demonstrations that have been happening on college campuses in the United States. Some of these protesters have even been calling for a break in academic ties with Israel due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In Berlin, the demonstrators had set up about 20 tents and formed a human chain around them. Many of them were wearing medical masks and kufiyah scarves as they chanted slogans like "Viva, viva Palestina." However, their protest was short-lived as the police soon arrived and called for them to leave the campus. As tensions rose, scuffles broke out between the officers and the protesters, with the police resorting to using pepper spray. The university's administration made it clear that they had no intention of engaging in any dialogue with the protesters, leading them to call in the police to disperse the crowd.
University president Guenter Ziegler, also known as "FU," stated that an occupation of the campus was not acceptable. He emphasized that while they were open to academic dialogue, it could not be achieved through such disruptive means. The protesters had reportedly attempted to enter various rooms and lecture halls in order to occupy them, but the university's statement confirmed that this was not allowed. The organizers of the protest had called on students and professors from other universities to join in, making it a multi-campus effort.
The mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, commended the university for taking action before the situation escalated any further. Similar protests have been happening in several other European countries, including Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France, and Britain. In the city of Leipzig, about 50 pro-Palestinian protesters also set up tents on the campus of Leipzig University and occupied a lecture hall. The main student association in the state of Saxony, where Leipzig is located, called for the university to intervene and put an end to the occupation. Their spokesperson, Paul Steinbrecher, revealed that the group behind the protest had made anti-Semitic statements and that the safety of Jewish and Israeli students was at risk.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, Dutch police had to intervene and disband a similar demonstration at the University of Amsterdam. According to police spokeswoman Sara Tillart, around 140 protesters were arrested, with two of them still in custody for suspected public violence. The police stated on social media that it was necessary to restore order as the protests had turned violent. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries. Video footage showed the police using a mechanical digger to push down barricades and officers with batons and shields moving in to remove the protesters and their tents. The university released a statement saying that the police had to take action due to concerns about public order and safety.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has been causing a great deal of distress and anger among university students and staff. The University of Amsterdam acknowledged this in their statement and expressed their understanding of the protests. However, they stressed that the only way to address this issue is through dialogue and not through disruptive demonstrations.
As news of the protest being dismantled spread, a large crowd of about 3,000 people, including students and academic staff, gathered near the location of the former camp. They chanted slogans like "Palestine will be free!" and "Cops off campus!" One of the lecturers from the university's media studies department, Jamil Fiorino-Habib, addressed the crowd, stating that the only way forward was to boycott Israel academically.
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