In an unusually sharp voice, the Dutch Prime Minister rejected the manifestations of this form of anti-Semitism.

In recent days, the pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking place in and around the University of Amsterdam crossed the permissible limits, Prime Minister Mark Rutte pointed out on Thursday at the X.

He confirmed that demonstrations are always allowed, but violence against the police and destruction never. Stop it! he called on the demonstrators.

According to Rutte, the Dutch Jews are unjustifiably being blamed for the violence in Gaza more and more often and with increasingly harsh words. The Prime Minister believes that this is a form of anti-Semitism, which must be fought loudly and decisively. As he wrote, he will hold a meeting with civil organizations at his residence in The Hague on Monday.

Anti-Semitism has no place in the Netherlands, he stated.

Pro-Palestinian student demonstrations have been taking place on the campus of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) since Monday.

The protesters set up camp on the grounds of the institution, barricaded the roads and called on the university's management to sever ties with Israeli higher education institutions because of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Riot police broke up the demonstration early Tuesday morning and detained more than a hundred people. Other universities in Amsterdam joined the protest, and from Wednesday morning students are also demonstrating at the University of Utrecht.

On Wednesday night, riot police were deployed at both locations. In Utrecht, around 40 people were taken away from the scene, but they were not arrested, the local authorities said. The university later issued a statement saying that all of its downtown buildings would remain closed until Monday to "prevent further disturbances and the development of risky situations."

32 arrests were made at the UvA's two downtown headquarters on Wednesday night, but the neighborhood quieted down by midnight. The riot police used excavators to break through the barricades built by the protesters.

Dutch Minister of Justice Dilan Yesilgöz drew attention in his post published on X that the protesters must compensate for the material damage they caused.

MTI

Cover image: This is what the Amsterdam Academic Club looks like from the inside after the pro-Palestinian demonstration
Source: X