AMSTERDAM. German police intervened on Tuesday to disband a protest staged by several hundred pro-Palestinian activists who had taken over a courtyard at Berlin’s Free University. This action, mirroring similar protests across the United States, marks a spreading trend of demonstrations throughout Europe.
The activists, adorned with medical masks and kufiyah scarves, had erected around 20 tents and formed a human chain around the occupied area, chanting slogans in support of Palestine. Earlier on the same day, Dutch authorities arrested approximately 125 activists as they dispersed a similar demonstration at the University of Amsterdam.
In Berlin, police used loudspeakers to urge the students to vacate the campus, resorting to physical removal and encountering resistance from some protesters. University president Guenter Ziegler condemned the occupation, emphasizing the university’s willingness to engage in academic dialogue through appropriate channels.
Reports suggest that some protesters attempted to enter rooms and lecture halls, prompting university administrators to express concern over the disruption of academic activities. The protest organizers, consisting of students from various Berlin universities and other individuals, had urged additional students and professors to participate in the demonstration.
These events in Berlin and Amsterdam reflect a wider trend of pro-Palestinian demonstrations across Europe. In Finland, students have established an encampment at the University of Helsinki, demanding a severance of academic ties with Israeli institutions. Meanwhile, in Denmark, similar protests have emerged at the University of Copenhagen, with university administrators urging dialogue and adherence to campus regulations.
Italy has witnessed tent encampments at the University of Bologna, where students demand an end to the conflict in Gaza, echoing sentiments expressed in Rome and Naples. In Spain, ongoing pro-Palestinian encampments at universities in Valencia, Barcelona, and the Basque Country highlight a sustained commitment to solidarity with Palestine.
French universities have also seen displays of support for Palestinians, with gatherings planned in Paris and recent protests at institutions such as Sciences Po. Despite these demonstrations, French authorities have intervened to remove students from numerous campuses, signaling a broader debate over the limits of protest and academic freedom.
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, European universities emerge as battlegrounds for expressions of solidarity and demands for action, underscoring the global ramifications of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
