169 demonstrators at UvA wrongfully arrested

At pro-Palestinian student protests at the University of Amsterdam, police wrongfully arrested 169 demonstrators for trespassing. They will not be prosecuted, according to the Public Prosecution Service.

On the night of 6 to 7 May, demonstrators occupied the Roeterseiland campus in Amsterdam. They erected barricades and demanded that the university cut ties with Israel due to the violence in Gaza.

Bulldozer

In the early hours of the morning, police broke through the barricades using a bulldozer. During the eviction, officers used batons. Most of the protesters offered little to no resistance, though stones and fireworks were thrown. One protester has since been convicted of public violence.

That night, 169 demonstrators were arrested for trespassing. However, this was unjustified, according to the Public Prosecution Service, as the Roeterseiland campus is publicly accessible. Therefore, trespassing was not applicable.

These protesters will not face prosecution. If they had been arrested for acts of violence, their cases would also have been dropped, according to the Prosecution Service. There is insufficient evidence that these protesters committed violent acts.

Beginning

The occupation in Amsterdam marked the beginning of pro-Palestinian student protests across the country. In some instances, university administrators called in the police; in others, they did not. Discussions between demonstrators and administrators regarding ties with Israel have been slow to progress.