Alternative education protests via livestreams from House of Representatives
The education protest scheduled to take place in Utrecht today has been cancelled. The original speakers' programme will continue from the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives). This programme can be followed via livestream starting at 1:30 pm.
The Algemene Onderwijsbond, one of the organisers of the protest, reports that there will be a new call for a large demonstration in The Hague that will take place before the education budget is discussed.
Message from the Executive Board about cancelling the demonstration
We, the Executive Board, are disappointed that the demonstration will not take place and regret that the many students and colleagues who were prepared to protest against the drastic cuts in higher education will not have the opportunity to do so tomorrow. We find it terrible that all these people will now be unable make their voices heard collectively.
At the same time, we understand the difficult decision made by the organizing parties following the urgent advice of the local safety triangle in Utrecht. We know that the mayor of Utrecht values the right to demonstrate highly, but the safety of participants must be ensured.
We are aware of ongoing calls to still demonstrate on Thursday as originally planned, but we urge our students and staff not to participate in order to ensure everyone's safety.
As a board, we will continue our efforts to convey our message to the government: stop the cuts and prioritize the value of research and education. In the context of UNL, among others initiatives, we are exploring alternative ways to oppose the cuts.