For a moment it is grim during the Maagdenhuis occupation of 2025. But after six hours the activists surrender

It is 16.15 on Monday afternoon when Leon van de Zande, secretary of the University of Amsterdam, calls on the occupiers of the Maagdenhuis by megaphone to leave the university building. In vain. « Oink, Oink, Piggy, Piggy« Sing protesters to the agents. Those eyes relax. A banner hangs out of the window on which is called a boycott of Israel. The activists once again light a green smoke torch.

And then an arrest team storms in and the Maagdenhuis occupation of 2025 is over. It lasted six hours and apparently came out of nowhere after a year and a half of pro-palestine protest.

According to the university board, the protesters were for the most part unrecognizable by face covering. They had sleeping bags and break tools, says UVA spokesperson Annelies van Dijk. As far as is known, no violence was used when taking the building, but it was « very intimidating, » says Van Dijk, who was in the building on Monday morning when the occupiers struck. The university administration has reported a house breach.

When asked whether the deadly Israeli attack on fifteen care providers last month is the reason for this occupation, says the outside activist Sam (who is not with the surname in NRC Want): « How many reasons are it needed? »

The protests had run at the beginning of this year, after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel had entered. In the meantime, the Israeli army is bombarding plenty of goals in the Palestinian strip, resulting in many civilian deaths.

Gynecologist

The protest at the UvA and other universities focuses on partnerships with Israeli academic institutions. So far, the UvA has only stopped the student exchange program with Hebrew University. The demonstrators demand that all ties are cut with Israeli universities, because of their alleged facilitating role in suppressing Palestinians.

The occupiers hold a banner on Monday morning with ‘Dr. Sirin al-Attar House ‘, as the Maagdenhuis is now called now. This gynecologist and mother of three children was killed on 11 October 2023 at one of the first retaliation attacks of the Israelis for the terror attack of Hamas of 7 October. Later the police remove the banner.

Buiten demonstrators are driven back by a me-ploton, to keep control over the alleys directly around the university building, which is located in the center of Amsterdam. Some protesters will be hitting that with the long bar. For a moment it is grim. Glass flies from behind the demonstrators on the agents, someone calls « not throw! »

‘Oink, Oink, Piggy, Piggy’, Sing protesters towards the agents

From three o’clock it is quiet and the further prelude to the evacuation starts. The driver of the mobile prison bus of the Judicial Institution department is parked for the Maagdenhuis. After the protesters are summoned to leave the building, an arrest team pulls in. One more time the activists wave at their sympathizers. Then they turn around and their hands go up.

Eight remaining activists are fascinated against five and led out without face covering, along the press. They are arrested at the bus. Of the dozens of occupiers, only a few were left at the end of the afternoon. The rest has merged into the group outside or arrested when you leave the Maagdenhuis.

Glitter

In the past, activists have occupied the Maagdenhuis more often. For the last time in 2015, when protesters demanded more participation and better working conditions from the board. After six weeks the building was then evacuated. The most fierce student protests against Israel were a year ago, when there was a confrontation between demonstrators and police at the Oudemanhuispoort and the Roeterseiland. The damage was according to the UvA 4.1 million euros.

After the current occupation, blue glitter remains in the Atrium of the Maagdenhuis. There are protein bars, a red valharnas and the telephone number of a lawyer who regularly assist protesters. There are rules on a magazine, such as: “The goal of this action is not to destroy the building.« 

Elsewhere in the building, computer screens were destroyed. Furniture is dragged to the stairwell. Red stripes were drawn over two portraits of artist Rosemin Hendriks. Up to the top floor are graffiti slogans on the walls, such as “Fuck your complicity« , »Free GazaAnd «  »Shame on UvA« .

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