At the beginning of this week, things began to change on Amsterdam’s Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) campus. Students gathered to peacefully protest against the war in Gaza, calling on UvA to cut its ties with Israel.
As we come to the end of this week, however, things have escalated with students creating barricades against police, arrests made, and blows dealt.
READ MORE | Pro-Palestine ‘protest camp’ at University of Amsterdam ends in violence and 125 arrests
This is what it looks like
Throughout the week, protesters have been clear about what they want from the university.
UvA university students are relentless! We are not going to to stop until the board resigns and all ties with Israel ‘s apartheid regime are cut!
— Disrupt (@nikitsh) May 9, 2024
Hands off #Rafah
Cops out Campus! #Rafah #Gaza #Israel #UvA #uvaprotest #Amsterdam pic.twitter.com/SFtjwt0OUt
Students and staff chanting ‘the people united will never be defeated’ #uvaprotest pic.twitter.com/2RnfaLpWIX
— Beste İşleyen (@beste_isleyen) May 8, 2024
Students began occupying some of UvA’s buildings and built barricades.
@emshot1 Morning 7:00 #uva #amsterdam #press #fyp ♬ son original – FYP 🤍🇲🇺
@emshot1 #amsterdam #uva #universityofamsterdam ♬ original sound – ryan.
However, on Wednesday, the situation escalated when the University called in the police due to “insecurity in and around the occupied buildings”, according to UvA.
The police action included the use of a bulldozer to take down the barricades.
Shovels onder politiebegeleiding in aantocht, #uvaprotest pic.twitter.com/kZokQXjCsL
— Robert Vinkenborg (@RVinkenborg) May 8, 2024
Some protesters were determined not to be caught.
@shomaesa protest today at the University of Amsterdam 🍉 #protest #universityprotest #solidarity #amsterdam ♬ الصوت الأصلي – الصَمِت"𓁹
The police then started dismantling the barricades as protesters chanted.
Barricades gebroken en schoonmaak #uvA #uvaprotest #bezetting #Amsterdam pic.twitter.com/gPEtL9Y7hl
— Đ⟁📢 (@ikbendaf) May 8, 2024
Things also escalated between protesters and police, with blows being dealt.
De ME deelt rake klappen uit bij #UvA_Amsterdam. 👀
— Lydia aka Insufferable TERF (@lyd20211) May 8, 2024
Lijkt erop alsof die jongen met zwarte jas de gevallen stok van de ME agent probeert weg te schoppen. #uvaprotest pic.twitter.com/DdcwFznkKy
Last night, the protesters arranged a sit-in in Het Spui against the University’s decision to use police force on protesters.
The sit-in ended with two minutes of silence for those killed in Gaza.
Twee minuten stilte, en nu goed. #uvaprotest #Amsterdam pic.twitter.com/sWujyYZKlW
— 🇵🇦Okke Ornstein🇵🇸 (@oornstein) May 9, 2024
This afternoon, the Amsterdam Council Committee will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the UvA protests and the actions of the police.
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