{"id":154287,"date":"2022-12-06T17:18:37","date_gmt":"2022-12-06T16:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=154287"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:46","slug":"climate-activists-occupy-eindhoven-university-of-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/12\/06\/climate-activists-occupy-eindhoven-university-of-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate activists occupy Eindhoven University of Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, two action groups occupied a room at Eindhoven University of Technology, directly opposite the offices of the university\u2019s executive board. The groups want the university to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry.<\/p>\n

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The occupation of a conference room in Eindhoven. <\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBridget Alcione Spoor<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

University magazine Cursor <\/em>reports<\/a> that the eleven activists, from End Fossil Occupy and University Rebellion, are demanding that the executive board declare a climate emergency. They also want the university to be more transparent about the external funding they receive.<\/p>\n

No justice, no peace<\/h2>

The activists have put signs in the windows of the room they are occupying with slogans such as \u2018No justice, no peace\u2019 and \u2018Whose campus? Our campus\u2019. According to Cursor<\/em>, they intend to stay until the board grants their demands. The room they have occupied is located in the Atlas building, which in 2019 was named<\/a> the most sustainable education building in the world, according to the university.<\/p>\n

Last spring, students in Eindhoven protested against Shell\u2019s presence at a career fair at the university. Three activists were arrested<\/a>. In October, the Den Bosch court ruled<\/a> that the police used disproportionate force during their arrest.<\/p>\n

The university\u2019s executive board has apologised<\/a> for how it handled the protest. \u201cWe agree that it should always be possible to organise a protest at our university\u201d, the board\u2019s vice president, Nicole Ummelen, said a week ago. \u201cWe also consider that to be one of our core values within our academic community. That\u2019s why we were very sorry to learn that people felt unsafe that day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe apologise\u201d<\/h2>

Last week, there was also an occupation at Erasmus University Rotterdam, which was ended by police in the evening, partly at the request of the executive board. Several hundred academics from Erasmus University as well as some from other universities signed an open letter<\/a> condemning the police intervention.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe regret the course of events\u201d, the university\u2019s executive board responded<\/a> in a written statement. \u201cWe acted in consultation with police because of an external security threat, but were unable to adequately consider the impact this would have on the EUR community. For that, we apologise.\u201d The board also wrote that it would like to start a dialogue on sustainability and other social issues.<\/p>\n\n\t

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