Protesters refuse to move camp despite police warnings

The protesters on Erasmus Plaza are refusing to move their encampment despite repeated police warnings. The pro-Palestine protest remains in place, despite instructions from the mayor and two police requests to relocate the camp. The ultimatum set by mayor Aboutaleb expired at 6:00 pm.

A group that grew from thirty to about one hundred people over the afternoon, including students and staff, is not complying with police requests to pack up and move the camp. The group is determined not to relocate for the setup of the upcoming HeartBeat festival on Thursday.

Riot police arrive on campus

Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb’s ultimatum to move the tent camp expired at 6:00 pm on Sunday. About fifteen minutes before the deadline, the first police officers arrived on campus to repeat the request to the protesters. An half an hour after the deadline, the request was made for the third time, but the protesters decided to stay.

By 7:00 pm, several riot police vans had arrived at the campus perimeter. The police informed two protest representatives that they would be committing an offense if they refused to leave and that their right to demonstrate could be revoked by the mayor.

Lawyer's phone number on arm

Earlier in the afternoon, the camp was calm. About thirty protesters were making banners, eating, and consulting with each other. As the 6:00 pm deadline approached, they donned headscarves, and someone used a megaphone to give instructions and the name of a lawyer to call in case of arrest. The lawyer’s phone number was written on their arms with a bold marker.

Around 6:30 pm, a group of students in yellow vests set up a first aid station. One student announced this to the protesters, urging them ‘not to try to be a super hero’ and to come to the station if needed.