Live blog: Alternative demonstrations in Leiden and The Hague against government cuts
Alternative demonstrations are being held in Leiden and The Hague today after the national protest in Utrecht was cancelled. Leiden University supports these protests, which were organised by WOinActie.
14:32 The organisers are pleased that the demonstrations in Leiden and The Hague went so well. ‘Great that so many people have come together. This is a taster: there’s more to come on 25 November’, says Tanja de Bie, a senior policy adviser who helped organise the event in The Hague.
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Protestors at Pieterskerkplein in Leiden -
Protestors at Pieterskerkplein in Leiden -
Protestors at Pieterskerkplein in Leiden -
Protestors at Pieterskerkplein in Leiden -
Protestors at Pieterskerkplein in Leiden
14.20. People watch the live stream from various spots in Leiden and The Hague, including the Pieter de la Court building (see photo) and the Gorlaeus building atrium. It has just been announced in the House of Representatives that the new national protest will be held on 25 November.
13.45. Jan Aart Scholte, Professor of Global Transformations and Governance Challenges, can look back at a successful protest in The Hague. ‘What a fantastic turnout. It was only announced three hours ago and every seat is taken. It is full to the brim. If we can achieve this at the drop of a hat, we must be able to fill the Malieveld. But will politicians get the message? It’s about the future. The cuts are destructive. I really struggle to comprehend them.’
13.38. ‘Give yourselves a round of applause. You have turned up at a minute’s notice despite being urged for weeks to go to Utrecht. Students are the future and the future is being destroyed by this governement’, says FNV union rep Arnout van Ree in the Wijnhaven building. This is followed by raucous applause. Then the live stream from the House of Representatives begins.
13.30. FGGA Dean Koen Caminada speaks in Wijnhaven: ‘It’s fantastic that you are all here. The plans are bad and these protests are a great message. The plans must be scrapped. Students and lecturers: there will be relatively fewer resources for us to do our work. But it is also about appreciation and respect. It is about the Netherlands doing itself short. I am particularly concerned about the plans for internationalisation. We can now attract top talent but that really will be curtailed. I believe in students, their dreams and their ability to change the world. Research and education should once again be central to the vision of our country. Let us continue to fight for what we stand for and the future of our society.’ Loud applause ensues.
13.20 Assistant professor Mischa Plagis addresses the crowd at Wijnhaven (The Hague). ‘We cannot innovate without research.’ Sem Grootscholten also takes the mic. ‘This is not the first time that the government has tried to make education less accessible and it certainly won’t be the last. You do not deserve this.’
13.13. The speakers scheduled to address the original demonstration in Utrecht are now going to address the House of Representatives instead, in the heart of democracy. Students and staff can watch the live stream from the House of Representatives from 13.30 at:
- Pieter de la Court, main hall
- Lipsius, 0.19
- Wijnhaven, Spanish Steps
13.05. The protest in The Hague is about to begin. The Spanish Steps in the Wijnhaven building are packed already.
13.02. Mayor Peter Heijkoop also came to Pieterskerkplein. ‘The demonstration went really well’, he says afterwards. ‘It was a bit nerve-wracking to give this the go-ahead because the police are under enormous pressure. But it’s hugely important that the university of applied sciences, university and all students can make their voices heard. I fully support their concerns. It’s also important for Leiden’s future that we continue to be a city of knowledge.’
12.52. Remco Breuker announces the end of a ‘short but sweet demonstration’. Someone from the union says there were at least 1,000 demonstrators. ‘This is the end of this demonstration but not of the protests’, says Breuker. ‘A huge thanks for being here. Yesterday was a day we’d rather forget but this makes up for it.’ The group move to the Lipsius building to watch a live stream of a debate in the House of Representatives, which Rector Hester Bijl will also attend.
12.50 The last speaker is Sharon de Vries, a Korean Studies student who worked hard to get students to go first to Utrecht and now to this square. ‘This feels dystopian. After all the setbacks we’ve faced, we’ve now got this to contend with. Students are being screwed over by the government. For a country that prides itself on being a knowledge economy, these plans are unacceptable.’ This is greeted with loud cheers and applause.
12.48. Alderman Fleur Spijker from the Municipality of Leiden takes the mic. ‘Leiden is a city of knowledge with 50,000 students. They will all be affected by these cuts. Education has brought our city so much knowledge and prosperity. The government says they are for innovation. Then you don’t go making cuts to education.’
12.45. Mark Rutgers, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, addresses the protestors. ‘What a fantastic turnout. Fabulous to see you all here. Education is for society and not just for education’s sake. We have to keep fighting the fight, and I hope that many more groups will join us in a fortnight’s time.’ Meanwhile, more and more people arrive at Pieterskerkplein.
12.42. Now Diana Wittendorp, a biology teacher at University of Applied Sciences Leiden, takes to the podium. ‘The planned cuts will make studying something for the elite. Higher education needs more money, not less. Education is a right. We won’t give up on our fight.’
12.40. The demonstrators sing a protest song. ‘Say bye bye, say bye bye, say bye bye bye to 1001 lecturers. Say bye bye to innovation. Dear Eppo, say bye bye to yourself.’ Remco Breuker from WOinActie speaks to the 500 demonstrators. ‘We are deeply concerned about what the cuts will mean for us, for students and for society. Society faces huge challenges that we want to tackle with science. These cuts will make that really difficult for us.’ The organisers thank the municipality for allowing this protest to take place. Breuker announces that there will be a new protest in The Hague in two weeks’ time.
12.35. Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board, Martijn Ridderbos, is pleased with the turnout. ‘We are here to protest against the government cuts. I’m pleased we can be here together to voice our opposition. It is an important voice and a loud one.’
12.30. The protestors in Leiden have gathered at Pieterskerkplein, where they are welcomed by Claire Weeda and Remco Breuker from WOinActie. The Municipality of Leiden asked that this protest not be publicised beforehand because of possible disruptions. More than 200 protestors are present, including Executive Board member Martijn Ridderbos and Deans Mark Rutgers and Jan Koolen. There’s a positive, lively atmosphere.
