The University of Amsterdam (UvA) announced on Monday that the university will be closed until May 15 due to reported “violent elements” that “hijacked” a peaceful pro-Palestine demonstration earlier that day.
The demonstration began with an “orderly” walkout at the UvA Roeterseiland Campus at 11 am. The walkout was coordinated with students at other universities across the Netherlands. After the walkout, many protestors left, but the “atmosphere changed” as new people joined the protest, according to UvA. The group that remained on campus broke into and vandalized university buildings around 2 pm. While inside, protestors “demolished” the Library Learning Centre. The police announced that the occupation of the building had been ended later that evening.
The university claims that protestors “barricaded” themselves within the building. On the contrary, the police say that they locked protestors within the building to prevent others from joining. According to police, they escorted anyone who wanted to leave outside the building.
Force was used by police against protestors. Police say force was only used against those who did not follow police instructions or sought confrontation. Protestors have made accusations of police brutality. No arrests were made at the scene, but an “investigation is currently underway”.
Protestors have demanded that UvA disclose and cease its collaborations with institutions and companies in Israel. Following allegations of “disproportionate arrests against protestors,” activists are also demanding amnesty for protestors facing legal consequences.
The Executive Board of UvA has responded that it believes its collaborations in Israel “do not contribute to military violence, or human rights violations.” The board emphasized its belief in the positive impacts of maintaining academic ties with institutions in Israel.
Pro-Palestine protests at UvA have intensified since Israel’s offensive in Rafah began on May 6. From May 6-8, demonstrations caused approximately €1.5M in damage, according to the University. As a result of the demonstrations, UvA has been closed since May 8.
