2024 University of Amsterdam pro-Palestinian campus occupation

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2024 University of Amsterdam pro-Palestinian campus occupation
Part of 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses and Israel–Hamas war protests
Protesters reinforcing a barricade, May 7
DateMay 6, 2024 (2024-05-06) – present
(8 days)
Location
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Casualties
Damage€1.5 million[1]
Detained169[2]

On May 6, 2024 University of Amsterdam (UvA) students established a camp on the Roeterseiland campus to support Palestinians in Gaza and demand action from administrators.[2][3] On May 7, 169 people were detained when the police used a bulldozer to break down the barricades after the protesters refused to leave.[2] In response to the protests, UvA published a list of cooperations with Israeli institutions and universities.[4][5] The university estimated 1.5 million euros in damages.[1]

Background[edit]

Escalation of protests[edit]

Further information: Israel–Hamas war protests
These paragraphs are an excerpt from 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses.[edit]
Pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses escalated in April 2024, spreading in the United States and in other countries, as a part of wider Israel–Hamas war protests. The escalation began after mass arrests at the Columbia University campus occupation, led by anti-Zionist groups, in which protesters demanded the university's disinvestment from Israel over its alleged genocide of Palestinians.[6][7] As of May 9, over 2,900 protesters have been arrested,[8] including faculty members and professors,[9][10] on over 60 U.S. campuses,[8] with protests spreading across Europe.[11][12] Some protesters have called the movement a "student intifada".[a][16]

List of protests[edit]

These paragraphs are an excerpt from List of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in 2024.[edit]

This is a list of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in 2024 since protests escalated on April 17, beginning with the Columbia University campus occupation. As of May 6, student protests have occurred in 45 out of 50 states in the United States, and the District of Columbia, with encampments, walkouts or sit-ins occurring on almost 140 campuses.[17]

Twenty encampments have been established in the United Kingdom;[18] across universities in Australia,[19] beginning with the University of Sydney;[20] and in Canada, including an encampment at McGill University.[21] On May 7, protests spread further on European campuses after mass arrests at the University of Amsterdam campus occupation;[22] including occupation of campus buildings at Leipzig University in Germany, Sciences Po in France, and Ghent University in Belgium.[23] As of May 8, protests have taken place in more than 25 countries.[24] On May 13, approximately one thousand students and university staff took part in a national walk-out.[25]

Timeline[edit]

May 6[edit]

On May 6, 2024 University of Amsterdam (UvA) students gathered to protest at Roeterseiland campus, demanding the university to disclose and cut off its ties with Israeli institutes and corporations.[2] An encampment was erected on the lawn of the campus thereafter, encircled by barricades made of bricks, planks and ropes.[26] Later that night, a group of people in support of Israel sought out a confrontation with demonstrators at the encampment, throwing flares and fireworks at them. They were soon driven away by the demonstrators, while the police did not attempt to intervene.[27][28]

The demonstration went quiet as the night deepened. Most protestors at the encampment rested in tents.[26]

May 7[edit]

Bulldozer demolishing a barricade

After midnight, riot police and police dogs were mobilized to raid and evict the encampment. Bulldozers were implemented to demolish the barricades, and some demonstrators tried to fight back.[28] Physical conflicts between protestors and the police took place, followed by the arrest of 125 people. Most people left the scene by 4:30am.[29]

Around 4pm, over a thousand people gathered at Roeterseiland campus of University of Amsterdam, condemning the reaction from the university to call on the police for the eviction of the encampment.[30] Later on, the protesting people marched along Weesperstraat and ended up at Oudemanhuispoort campus of University of Amsterdam. The demonstrators soon took over the buildings and set another encampment inside. Paving bricks, bicycle racks, desks, planks and other objects were removed by demonstrators to establish barricades, which blocked all essential paths to the encampment. A number of supporters stayed outside the barricades and echoed the chanting from demonstrators settling in the encampment. The encampment lasted throughout the night without interference from the police.[26]

May 8[edit]

The executive board of University of Amsterdam claimed in a statement on 8 May that a discussion between the executive board and protestors was held in the same morning, and another conversation was scheduled later in the afternoon.[31] However, riot police soon broke into the encampment in the afternoon as barricades were demolished by bulldozers. Protestors inside the encampments were cornered and later on removed by the police. It was also reported by witnesses that some people got attacked by the police without doing anything.[26]

With the eviction, a number of demonstrators moved to Rokin, which is in the vicinity of Oudemanhuispoort campus, and blocked Damrak, a main street in the city center of Amsterdam.[32] The demonstration at Rokin kept for hours, and was ended as the police charged towards the protesting crowds. Some demonstrators were dissolved as being chased by police vans, batons and police dogs. A number of them ended up at Rembrandtplein, where the demonstration slowly subsided.[33]

May 9[edit]

On May 9, another protest was organised which again started at the Roeterseiland university campus of University of Amsterdam. Thousands of protestors went on to march through the city.[34] Three protestors were arrested by the police.[35]

May 13[edit]

On May 13, approximately one thousand students and staff took part in a national walk-out at 11 am, followed by occupying campus buildings at the University of Amsterdam, as well as in Dutch cities Groningen and Eindhoven, according to a protest group. Police in riot gear subsequently ended the protests in Amsterdam.[36] The university subsequently closed for two days after the renewed occupations on campus.[37]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The Arabic term intifada means roughly "uprising" and is often used in the context of Palestinian uprisings in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[13][14][15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "University of Amsterdam says pro-Palestinian protests caused €1.5 million in damage". NL Times. May 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Deutsch, Anthony (May 7, 2024). "Pro-Palestinian protest in Amsterdam turns violent after student rally halted". Reuters.
  3. ^ Pascoe, Robin (May 7, 2024). "UvA officials defend police action in ending Palestine protest". DutchNews.nl. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  4. ^ "Amsterdam pro-Palestinian student protest broken up by police". Reuters. May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Amsterdam, Universiteit van (May 6, 2024). "Our collaborations with Israeli organisations". University of Amsterdam. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "US college protests: Who are the student groups and others involved". Reuters. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024. Among the lead student groups in the coalition are the Columbia chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine. The two decades-old anti-Zionism advocacy groups that protest Israel's military occupation have chapters across the country that have been key to protests on other campuses.
  7. ^ Rosman, Katherine (April 29, 2024). "Universities Face an Urgent Question: What Makes a Protest Antisemitic?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian student activists say their movement is anti-Zionist but not antisemitic.
  8. ^ a b Rubin, April; Beheraj, Kavya; Lysik, Tory; Chase, Will (May 3, 2024). "Mapped: Where pro-Palestinian student protesters have been arrested". Axios. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mapping pro-Palestine college campus protests around the world". Al Jazeera. April 29, 2024. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Treisman, Rachel (May 1, 2024). "How some faculty members are defending student protesters, in actions and in words". NPR. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024. It's one of several schools around the country where professors are getting arrested at demonstrations, circulating letters in support of arrested protesters and holding no-confidence votes in their administrations.
  11. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (May 8, 2024). "Clashes and arrests as pro-Palestinian protests spread across European campuses". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  12. ^ "Pro-Palestinian student protests spread across Europe. Some are allowed. Some are stopped". AP News. May 7, 2024. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "What is an intifada?". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Beauchamp, Zack (November 20, 2018). "What were the intifadas?". Vox. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "Intifadas: What you need to know – DW – 12/07/2017". DW. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  16. ^
  17. ^ Looker, Rachel (May 6, 2024). "Columbia University cancels main graduation amid protests". BBC News. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  18. ^ Tait, Albert (May 12, 2024). "Birmingham University threatens pro-Palestinian students with police action". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  19. ^ "Pro-Palestinian protesters set up encampments at universities in Australia". AP News. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  20. ^ Dumas, Daisy (May 1, 2024). "Australian university students are camping out in support of Gaza. Here's what you need to know". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  21. ^ Regan, Helen (May 3, 2024). "Where pro-Palestinian university protests are happening around the world". CNN. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  22. ^ "Pro-Palestinian student protests spread across Europe. Some are allowed. Some are stopped". AP News. May 7, 2024. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  23. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (May 8, 2024). "Clashes and arrests as pro-Palestinian protests spread across European campuses". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  24. ^ "Mapping pro-Palestine college campus protests around the world". Al Jazeera. April 29, 2024. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  25. ^ "Amsterdam: Police move in after pro-Palestinian protesters occupy university buildings". Sky News. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  26. ^ a b c d "Protest UvA-campus: zo verliepen de eerste vier dagen van de pro-Palestinaprotesten in Amsterdam". Het Parool. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "Violence breaks out at pro-Palestinian protest at University of Amsterdam". NL Times. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Schoenmacker, Irene. "This is what happened last night in the tent camp on Roeterseiland". FOLIA. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  29. ^ "Police cart off Pro-Palestinian protesters at Amsterdam Univ.; 125 arrested". NL Times. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  30. ^ "Politie grijpt in bij pro-Palestijns protest in Amsterdam, ook elders demonstraties" [Police intervene in pro-Palestinian protest in Amsterdam, also demonstrations elsewhere]. NU.nl (in Dutch). May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  31. ^ "Update demonstrations at the UvA". University of Amsterdam. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  32. ^ "Demonstratie verplaatst naar het Rokin: politie houdt afstand". De Telegraaf. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  33. ^ "ME stopt protest Amsterdam: 36 arrestaties en 5 gewonde agenten, Rutte reageert". BD. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  34. ^ "Pro-Palestijns protest in Amsterdam met paar duizend man voorbij" [Pro-Palestinian protest in Amsterdam with several thousand people]. NOS (in Dutch). May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  35. ^ "Protesten in Amsterdam: Demonstratie bij Stopera ten einde, acht eerder opgepakte betogers langer vast" [Protests in Amsterdam: Demonstration at Stopera ended, eight previously arrested demonstrators held longer]. Het Parool (in Dutch). May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  36. ^ "Amsterdam: Police move in after pro-Palestinian protesters occupy university buildings". Sky News. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  37. ^ "Amsterdam University closes for two days after violent protests over Gaza". Reuters. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
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