AMSTERDAM (AA) - Amsterdam University temporarily closed the entrances and exits of buildings on the Roeterseiland Campus to prevent a planned sit-in by students at the main building in support of Palestine.
Undeterred students assembled on a bridge on campus and brandished banners that read: "Stop the genocide in Gaza", "Free Palestine" and "Existence is resistance."
Chanting slogans such as "Amsterdam University, you can't hide, you support genocide," and "From the river to the sea, free Palestine," demonstrators voiced solidarity with Palestine and criticized the university administration for its perceived silence on the issue.
Melis van Thijmveld expressed frustration with the university's response and highlighted the administration's swift condemnation of Russia's actions in Ukraine which is in stark contrast to its "silence on the ongoing genocide in Palestine."
"When Russia invaded Ukraine, the university immediately put up posters everywhere and showed solidarity with Ukraine. After the war in Palestine, there has been no message or solidarity shown regarding the ongoing genocide. I think this is terrible," said Van Thijmveld.
Despite the closure of buildings on campus, the student-led rally gained momentum and demonstrators marched toward the Amsterdam Central Station.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 people.
At least 24,620 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 61,830 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of the Gaza Strip’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.