2025 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in the Netherlands
The 2025 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in the Netherlands are a series of demonstrations, encampments, and building occupations by students and staff at Dutch universities, demanding an end to institutional ties with Israeli academic and research organizations in response to the ongoing war in Gaza and Israeli military actions on the genocide of Palestinians.[1][2][3][4] BackgroundProtests against the genocide in Gaza and Dutch university ties with Israeli institutions began as early as October 2023, but escalated in the spring of 2025 following the Israeli offensive in Rafah, the increased awareness of war crimes committed by the Israeli army, and the spread of campus protests in the United States and Europe. Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of Israel, divestment from companies supplying the Israeli military, and full transparency about institutional collaborations.[5][6] Universities involvedTilburg UniversityOn 30 January, police ended an occupation by Palestine Solidarity Tilburg in the glass corridor of the Cobbenhagen building at Tilburg University. Around 40 protesters, including students and staff, opposed the university’s refusal to cut ties with Israeli institutions. Most demonstrators left voluntarily after a police order, but five remained seated and were escorted out without arrests. Protesters demanded either delivery of an open letter to Rector Wim van de Donk or a public debate. The university declined, stating it is open to dialogue but not under pressure, framing building occupation as a red line.[7][8] University of AmsterdamOn 14 April, dozens of pro-Palestinian activists occupied the Maagdenhuis, the main administration building of the University of Amsterdam. Staff were ordered to leave, entrances were barricaded, and banners and Palestinian flags were displayed from the windows.[1][2][4] The occupiers demanded the immediate severance of all ties with Israeli institutions. The university refused to negotiate with masked occupiers and filed a police report.[1][4] The protests ended with police intervention.[9][10] Radboud University NijmegenOn 7 May, at Radboud University, activists briefly occupied the Berchmanianum building. A university representative refused to negotiate with the protesters.[3] Police operations at the campus led to three arrests, with some incidents involving the use of batons and police dogs, leading to a protester sustaining injuries from a bite of a police dog.[3] On 13 May, demonstrators re-established an encampment near the Huygens building on campus.[11] Utrecht UniversityIn late March, pro-Palestinian activists chained themselves to the entrance of the administration building at Utrecht University in the Utrecht Science Park, temporarily blocking access. On 7 May, a year after the previous attempt at a student encampment in the same location, protesters set up tents and banners in the courtyard of the university's academic library.[12][13] The encampment was established as a permanent protest site and features daily teach-ins, workshops, public lectures, documentary screenings, and community discussions. The encampment was named in honor of Palestinian journalist Hossam Shabat that was killed on 24 March 2025 by an Israeli airstrike.[14] On 19 May, the protesters also occupied the university building Drift 13 and were met with police intervention. Police entered the premises and forcibly removed the students. Outside of the building, several protesters were also hit with police violence, with some sustaining injuries.[15][16] The riot police arrested 49 individuals for trespassing and transported them by bus to another location in Utrecht, with most being released later that night.[17][18][19] The police action was criticized by several staff groups within the university and by the mayor of Utrecht.[20][21][22][23] Maastricht UniversityOn 25 May, a student group at Maastricht University blocked entrances to multiple university faculties in protest of the institution’s ties to Israeli universities. Protesters demanded that the university cut academic partnerships, particularly with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, citing its alleged role in normalizing Israeli policies toward Palestinians. The university building blockades lasted several hours and remained peaceful, despite some confrontations. Later in the week, the group organized additional walkouts.[24][25][26] ReactionsOn 14 March, the University of Amsterdam announced it would indefinitely suspend student exchange programmes with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, following recommendations from a university-appointed committee on "sensitive partnerships". The decision was based on concerns over the university's ties to the Israeli military and its failure to distance itself from alleged human rights violations in Gaza. Israeli students already in Amsterdam may complete their studies, but new exchanges are halted.[27][28] On 8 May, Tilburg University announced it had suspended institutional ties with Bar-Ilan and Reichman universities in Israel, citing their close links to the Israeli military. The decision followed a recommendation by a university-appointed commission of four professors. Attempts to initiate dialogue with the two institutions were unsuccessful, according to the university. Talks with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are ongoing, as Tilburg noted the importance of engaging with critical voices within Israeli society.[29] On 16 May, Utrecht University announced it would end a research collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Health and permanently halt its student exchange programme with the University of Haifa. While most existing collaborations will continue, the university stated it will not establish new ties with Israeli institutions for the time being. A committee will be formed to develop an ethical framework for partnerships involving countries engaged in armed conflict or human rights violations. The university also condemned Israeli actions in Gaza, citing "genocidal violence" and ongoing blockades.[30] On 22 May, Radboud University in Nijmegen announced it would end its institutional cooperation with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University. The decision followed the ongoing protests in its campus and a commission’s finding that Israel’s human rights violations in Palestine are “serious and systematic", and that those universities contribute to some of these violations.[31][32] See also
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