Statement regarding the police violence of 19 May

As members of the core team of the Contesting Governance Platform, we write to denounce the decision by the University Executive Board to call the police on its students on 19 May 2025. Given that the Board is fully aware of the police’s earlier track record of using violence against peaceful demonstrations in relation to this matter, we consider this decision a betrayal of the protection that a university is supposed to offer its students and staff.

We deem the violence used by the police on peaceful protesters on the Drift in Utrecht to have been an unnecessary and disproportionate response to a peaceful protest and, as such, a matter of grave concern, especially in a human rights city. Distressing videos available online show peaceful protesters with their hands raised, being hit repeatedly and indiscriminately by the police with batons. A member of the UU academic staff in the front is heard saying ‘stop hurting my students’ as she is hit with a baton herself. The police show no sign of seeking to employ non-violent means, to de-escalate the situation, or of being open to dialogue with the protestors. It is worth noting in this respect, and in contrast to the repeated claims of the Executive Board, that the disruption of some educational activities due to the occupation does not deprive the latter of the protection that all peaceful demonstrations – no matter how inconvenient they may be – are granted under human rights law.

We welcome the statement by Utrecht University's Executive Board and Deans, acknowledging students' concerns over Gaza and recognizing "genocidal violence" as well as the Municipality of Utrecht’s recent decision to officially describe the situation in Palestine as genocide. However, we note with grave concern that these statements have regrettably not led to meaningful policy change, demonstrated by the continued partnerships with Israeli institutions and the reliance on police to end a peaceful demonstration.  We also note that two student parties that together obtained more than 50% of the votes cast in the latest University Council elections both campaigned in favour of UU cutting all ties with Israeli institutions complicit in the violations of the rights of the Palestinian people. This signals that at the university there is broad and democratic support for the demands of protesters.

Finally, we note the demonstration in The Hague on Sunday 18 May, in which it is estimated that up to 100,000 people took part, asking the Dutch government to draw a ‘red line’ under its collaboration and support of Israel. Albeit in a different context, the same call is directed to the UU Executive Board and has so far regretfully fallen on deaf ears. We again call upon the Executive Board to seriously listen to the students' demands and immediately take tangible steps to bring its institutional partnerships with principles of human rights and justice.

Undersigned by: Fabio Cristiano, Alessandra Spadaro, Thijs Jeursen, Veronika Nagy, Katharine Fortin, Jessica Dorsey, and Hayal Akarsu.

This statement has been issued by the core team members of the Contesting Governance Platform and may not necessarily reflect the views of all its platform members.