Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted several classes at Maastricht University on Wednesday.
A group of around 25 protesters showed up around noon at various faculties, including the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS) and the School of Business and Economics (SBE). They also barged into lectures.
Addressing students
Footage shows protesters carrying Palestinian flags walking through hallways and entering lecture halls. They chant slogans like ” Viva Palestina .” In at least one lecture, a protester is called upon by a lecturer. The activist introduces herself as a law student and addresses the students: ” Justice has not been served .” She calls on those present to pressure the university to sever all ties with Israel.
No consequences
It’s unclear whether all the protesters were actually Maastricht University students. Most had their faces covered with scarves. The university therefore anticipates no disciplinary action. “If anyone found it intimidating, we’d like to hear about it,” says university spokesperson Koen Augustijn. “So far, we haven’t received any reports of that.”
Right to demonstrate
This isn’t the first time protests have been held at Maastricht University in connection with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Augustijn, it’s a constant balancing act between the right to demonstrate and ensuring uninterrupted education. “The right to demonstrate is important; you don’t just go to court,” he says. “But education must also continue; we generally don’t allow classes to be disrupted.”
Estimate per situation
The university did not intervene in this case. “You can hardly seal off the building hermetically and immediately call the police for every disturbance. We assess each situation individually. In this case, the protesters were briefly allowed to speak, after which they left. The incident was limited in scope and short-lived. After that, we returned to business as usual.”
