Amsterdam pro-Palestine protesters clash with police as officers armed with batons move in

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at the Roeterseiland campus in the Dutch capital

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George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 13/05/2024

- 15:49

Updated: 13/05/2024

- 17:05

A protest group said it had occupied university buildings in the cities of Amsterdam, Groningen and Eindhoven

Police have clashed with a pro-Palestine protest on a campus in the Netherlands following the occupation of university buildings.

Students at the University of Amsterdam were asked to leave several times, but did not respond.


Earlier today, a protest group said it had occupied university buildings in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam, Groningen and Eindhoven.

In a post on X, Amsterdam police said the university had filed a police report against the protesters for acts of vandalism.

\u200bPro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at the Roeterseiland campus in Amsterdam

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at the Roeterseiland campus in Amsterdam

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Protests on a bridge

Palestinian flags are seen during a rally by students and employees of the University of Amsterdam

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\u200bBarricades were placed inside the campus buildings

Barricades were placed inside the campus buildings

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In local media footage, the students can be heard chanting at the police: "We are peaceful, what are you?" and "Shame on you."

The group told reporters that the occupations would continue until the police broke them up and that the protesters would keep returning until the university meets their demands "for transparency (as well as) boycotting and divesting from Israeli institutions."

A spokesperson for the University of Amsterdam (UvA) confirmed the occupation and said it had advised people not affiliated with the protest to leave the building.

The Eindhoven University of Technology confirmed that there were "dozens of students peacefully protesting outside next to ten to 15 tents".

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Pro-Palestine protest

Police moved in on protest groups in the Dutch capital

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\u200bProtesters gathered outside the campus building

Protesters gathered outside the campus building

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Students in the Netherlands have been protesting against Israel's war in Gaza since last Monday and Dutch riot police had previously clashed with protesters at the University of Amsterdam.

It comes as student encampments against the war in Gaza have been set up at more than a dozen universities in the UK, including Cambridge and Oxford.

A camp was also set up at the University of Birmingham on Thursday, which said it was "monitoring the situation to ensure safety and minimise disruption".

In a statement, the university said: "A small group of tents has been set up on campus by individuals protesting in support of Palestine. The university is operating as normal with exams and other activities continuing as planned."

\u200b Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at the Roeterseiland campus

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at the Roeterseiland campus

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\u200bPresident of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) Edward Isaacs speaks to reporters outside Downing Street

President of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) Edward Isaacs speaks to reporters outside Downing Street

PA

President of the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) Edward Isaacs urged universities to take "swift and decisive action" to protect Jewish students. Rishi Sunak called for universities to remain "bastions of tolerance" during the roundtable with vice-chancellors.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge on Monday to recapture an area where they claimed to have dismantled Hamas months ago, while in the south tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah.

Gaza's health authority has appealed for international pressure to reopen access via the southern border to allow in aid and medical supplies.

A spokesperson said: "The wounded and sick suffer a slow death because there is no treatment and supplies and they cannot travel."

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