Occupation of Drift 25

Since Tuesday, December 2, the UU building at Drift 25 has been occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. As a result, approximately fifteen hundred students are being hindered in following their education on a daily basis. In some cases, students are unable to attend the education to which they are entitled, or can only participate to a limited extent.

“We find it unacceptable that these demonstrators have been hindering fellow students in their right to education for such a long time,” says rector magnificus Wilco Hazeleger. “We are also seeing signs of exclusion: banners have been hung on the building that some colleagues and students find offensive. The damage is significant. We stand with our students and staff, and we want to be an open institution with room for different perspectives. Unfortunately, that is not the case at the moment, and we are being hindered in fulfilling our legal duty: providing education.”

Weighing rights and responsibilities

“Of course, protesting is part of our democracy and our university,” Hazeleger continues. “Within our rules, there is space for peaceful occupations, as advised by the Study and Information Center for Human Rights (SIM). Over the past week, we have continuously weighed how best to protect various rights and responsibilities, including the sense of safety for our staff and students. Due to the prolonged and significant impact, a limit has now been reached. Therefore, a report of local breach of peace has been filed.”

Since the start of the occupation, the university has been in consultation with the local authorities (mayor, police, and public prosecution). The collective goal is to prevent escalation and for the occupiers to leave Drift 25 voluntarily, so that hundreds of students can once again attend their lectures.

The university is generally open to engaging in dialogue with demonstrators, provided they adhere to the ‘rules and responsibilities for demonstrations’. However, these have been violated since the beginning of this occupation. For example, security is not allowed access to the building to check fire and evacuation safety; protesters have been seen on the roofs, and cooking is taking place in a building not designed for that purpose. The impact on education in the current situation is also too large.

Who are the occupiers and what do they demand?

As far as is known, the group of occupiers consists partly of students and partly of individuals who have no connection to our university. Through social media, the occupiers are demanding that the university sever all ties with Israel. See the yellow block below for a summary of the current UU policy on collaboration with Israeli organizations.

Thank you for your efforts to minimize disruption to students

As long as the occupation continues, education will be moved to other locations. This involves lectures for approximately 1200 to 1700 students every day. Generally, this has been possible, but sometimes it is not possible to find an alternative location, and classes have to be canceled. Additionally, students sometimes cannot reach the new location in time due to the increased distance.

We thank everyone for their efforts and adaptability in these difficult circumstances. 

The Executive Board and Deans of Utrecht University