Protesters seize University of Amsterdam building demanding end to ties with Israel
In Amsterdam, activists occupied the university's administrative building, calling for an immediate halt to all cooperation with Israeli institutions — using masks, shields, and barricades.
Photo: Mtcv, CC BY-SA 3.0
On the morning of April 14, around a hundred pro-Palestinian activists, according to the Amsterdam Encampment group, occupied the Maagdenhuis building — the administrative headquarters of the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
According to NOS, the protesters — students and staff — are demanding a complete termination of all academic ties with Israeli institutions.
As reported by NH Nieuws, the building was taken over around 11:00 AM. Some of the protesters, wearing balaclavas and masks, blocked emergency exits, forcing staff to evacuate.
According to a UvA spokesperson, the activists' actions were “intimidating,” and the administration filed a police report.
The university administration had previously suspended its partnership with the Hebrew University in Jerusalem based on the recommendations of an ethics committee but maintained ties with other Israeli universities, including Ben-Gurion University, which is linked to Israel's defense industry.
This drew sharp criticism from the protesters, who called the decision “cowardly.”
In the afternoon, police entered the building, and clashes occurred between the two sides, including the use of glass objects. According to NRC, one activist was detained.
The protest continues, and the building remains under police surveillance.
