Under a beaming sun, the new freshmen met dozens of associations, organisations, and companies from Nijmegen this afternoon. Unlike last year, when there was a brawl, the afternoon passed without any disturbances.

The pole dancing association, the court dancing association, and the gliding club, as well as the University Student Council, political parties, Nijmegen for Palestine, and a commercial bank. At the Intro market, the estimated 4,000 Intro people could get to know all of Nijmegen’s associations, organisations, and companies at dozens of stalls.

The Intro market has been held on the Radboud University campus for the past few years. The route started this afternoon at the Grotius building. Via the Spinoza building, the Maria Montessori building, and the Berchmanianum, students eventually arrived at Erasmusplein, hands and arms filled with goodie bags, flyers, food, and drinks.

Press coverage

The Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging (Greater Netherlands Student Association), GNSV for short, was also present at the orientation market, handing out flyers,  for the second consecutive year. Last year, before the start of the orientation market, a protest against the right-wing radical GNSV resulted in a scuffle, in which some members of the GNSV were injured. Action group Nijmegen then claimed the action, and members of the GNSV reported it for assault.

The GNSV’s stall, just in front of the Berchmanianum, could count on the necessary press attention this afternoon. Chair Daan Meershoek, for instance, was followed for several hours by a camera crew of Ongehoord Nederland, including two security guards. Omroep Gelderland and De Gelderlander were also present. Yet this year, unlike last year, there were no disturbances.

Graffiti

Around half past two, six people held a small counter-demonstration next to the GNSV stall. They handed out flyers saying “Hey student! Neonazis (sic) on campus? Unite against the G.N.S.V”. One of the people who handed out flyers did not want to answer questions from Vox. ‘All the information is on the flyers,’ she said.

‘We have reported the defacement to the police’

During the night from Monday to Tuesday, the slogan “Fuck GNSV, no Nazis on campus” had also been sprayed on the UB with graffiti. It is not known who is behind the action. ‘Radboud University does not accept damage, destruction, or vandalism, such as graffiti, on the campus grounds,’ a university spokesperson said. ‘That is why we have reported the defacement to the police.’

Translated by Stella Kuipers