Protest in Wijnhaven building has ended
Everything is peaceful again in and around the Wijnhaven building at Campus The Hague. Earlier today, the location was the scene of a large pro-Palestinian protest. Lectures were cancelled. In the end, everyone left the building voluntarily.
At around 13.30 hrs., a group of several hundred people entered the Wijnhaven building at Campus The Hague. They chanted slogans and closed off the emergency exits. This put the safety of all those present in the building at risk, so Leiden University decided to close the location. Everyone was asked to leave the building calmly.
A sizeable group refused to comply. They made a number of demands, including that the University should sever ties with Israeli universities. Earlier today university administrators had had a discussion on this issue with representatives of Students for Palestine and Leiden Scholars for Palestine. The University explained the policy it has formulated with regard to Israeli universities. It was then agreed that the University would communicate on the subject the following day.
Close contacts
Throughout the afternoon there was contact between members of staff of the University and representatives of the group. At the same time, the University was in close contact with the Mayor, the Public Prosecution Service and the police. The Board of Governors and the University Council were also kept informed throughout the day.
The talks with the students seem to have been successful: by the start of the evening, most people had left Wijnhaven voluntarily. The University had announced that the building must be empty by 19.30 hrs. The last group of activists also complied with this.
Wijnhaven open tomorrow as usual
Wijnhaven will be open again as usual tomorrow and lectures will be resumed. Students and staff of the faculties located at Wijnhaven have been offered appropriate support if they feel the need for this. This will be available between 10.00 and 12.00 hrs., in the Beehive in The Hague.