Mayor Hubert Bruls will be imposing major restrictions on pro-Palestine protests on campus. From now on, said protests are only allowed at a parking space next to the Elinor Ostrom building. These restrictions also apply to the upcoming lecture by the controversial Mohammed Khatib.

Mayor Bruls is done with the protest marches, occupations, and walk-ins on campus. From now on, he will only allow pro-Palestine protests from parking space P7a, next to the Elinor Ostrom building. Additionally, said protests can only take place between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM.

According to the municipal website, the mayor made his decision based on the Wet Openbare Manifestaties (Public Assemblies Act). This decision was motivated by the “disorderly and illegal acts perpetrated by protesters, which required police intervention”.

“The right to protest is important”, the municipality writes, but “protests are no excuse for illegal acts, such as destruction of property or breach of peace”. Because the protests have been going on for weeks, there is “a constant risk of escalation in crowded spaces”.

Last Wednesday, mayor Bruls decided to have the police dismantle the pro-Palestine encampment in front of the Maria Montessori building. The decision followed the hours-long occupation of Thomas van Aquinostraat 1. Protesters destroyed property and left the building stained with red paint.

Lecture

The new restrictions also mean that the lecture by Mohammed Khatib, which is scheduled for tomorrow, will have to take place in the parking lot. Khatib was invited to give a lecture for the second time between the tents on the Nijmegen campus.

Khatib is the European coordinator for Samidoun, a pro-Palestine organisation; according to the German government, the organisation spreads anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli propaganda. The parties SGP, JA21, and BBB stated in the Tweede Kamer that Khatib’s visit to Nijmegen was ‘entirely undesirable.’ The parties questioned the ministers of justice and education on the matter.

‘We won’t calmly request our right to protest; we will demand it’

After the dismantling of the camp last week, the action group Situating Palestine asked the University to reserve a space for Khatib’s lecture. According to the university, no such space was available.

Additionally, the University writes that the unrest and public nuisance that accompanied the protests motivated the lack of space.

‘Outrageous’

When asked, protest spokesperson and student Ties announced that Khatib’s lecture tomorrow would continue as scheduled. However, it is not yet known where it will take place. ‘We will make an announcement tomorrow morning.’

Ties calls the serious constraints on the space for student protest ‘outrageous’. ‘Protesting is about visibility and opening dialogue.’ According to Ties, he was made aware that violating the restrictions will be considered a felony.

However, he can imagine that many protesters will not adhere to the new rules; they don’t want to be stuck tucked away in a parking lot. ‘We won’t calmly request our right to protest; we will demand it.’

Translated by Jasper Pesch