Pro-Palestine protest at the UG

On 13 May, universities across the Netherlands took part in a nationally announced walkout. In Groningen, the walkout began at 11 a.m. at the Academy Building. At the same time, tents were set up on the square in front of the Harmonie building. In total, about 150 protesters gathered during the walkout, of whom about 50 spent the night on the Harmonie square. Today, 14 May, they are still on the square.

The protest is proceeding peacefully. The UG is in constant contact with the ‘security triangle’ (consisting of the mayor, the police, and the public prosecutor).

The UG respects freedom of speech and considers protesting an important right. For this reason, we want to facilitate peaceful protests so that they can proceed safely.

Contact

The UG made several attempts to contact the protesters and invited them for a conversation through their designated contact person. Unfortunately, they were not open to dialogue and instead referred to the demands on their social media channels. The UG has earlier issued a statement in response to these demands.

UG buildings

UG buildings are accessible to all students, staff members, and visitors. Yesterday, we were forced to close the Academy Building and the University Library to ensure the safety of students and staff. Currently, all of our buildings are open to staff and students. We believe this is important and will strive to keep the buildings open, provided it can be done safely.

Shares

On social media channels, protesters are calling attention to shares that the UG allegedly has in certain companies. This information is incorrect. Since 2016, educational and research institutions have been prohibited from investing.

Safety

Some staff and students have reported feeling unsafe. We understand and regret this. The University should be a safe place for everyone. There should be room for all opinions and healthy dialogue, within certain frameworks. It is our job to ensure that the rules of these frameworks are respected so that everyone feels safe to share their opinions and participate in dialogues. We have therefore taken visible and invisible security measures.

Support

Many of us are feeling sad and insecure during this difficult time. Would you like to talk about your mental wellbeing and how it affects your studies or work? There are a variety of support systems available to both students and staff.