Student union opens reporting centre for police violence

Last week, people were injured as pro-Palestinian demonstrations in The Hague and Nijmegen were dispersed. The National Union of Students (LSVb) says this is unacceptable: ‘Students who speak out deserve to be heard, not beaten with batons or attacked by police dogs.’

On numerous occasions, students have indicated to LSVb that they feel unsafe during demonstrations. Hence the organisation's decision to set up an anonymous reporting centre. LSVb intends to use the reports collected to exert more pressure on university administrators to engage in dialogue and refrain from calling in the police.

More frequent action
The police seem to be taking action more quickly these days. Last year, occupations and tent camps were sometimes tolerated for days, but last Tuesday, the riot police were on the doorstep of Leiden University's campus in The Hague within an hour. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were occupying the lobby of the building.

After a short time, they left the building voluntarily, only to block the entrance. The police then cleared the entrance and arrested several demonstrators. There were serious blows: according to the university magazine Mare, five people lost consciousness (which may or may not have been caused by the police) and others were injured.

In Nijmegen, a demonstrator was bitten in the leg by a police dog. She had to be taken to the hospital. LSVb criticises university administrators for calling the police in the first place, which, according to the union, only leads to demonstrations ending in violence. ‘And then the administrators wash their hands of it,’ says the union.

Security guards attacked
Radboud University tells a different story. The university's board said in a statement that demonstrators tried to force their way into a building on Wednesday. ‘A security guard was bitten on the hand, an employee was grabbed and beaten, and another employee was scratched and his arm and injured.’

Radboud's administrators therefore stand by their actions, stating that ‘it is disgraceful that our employees are being attacked in this way. It is good to know that the police have made some arrests.’

Leiden University also believes it had no other option as the protesters blocked “one or more emergency exits.” According to the university, this could have endangered the safety of everyone in the building.

Last Wednesday, students and staff also protested in Utrecht. UU President Anton Pijpers was asked about the university's decision to call the police to disperse previous demonstrations. He explained that occupying university buildings crosses the line.