17 May 2024
On Friday, 17 May, around 16:00, a small group of activists occupied Oudemanhuispoort. They immediately blocked the exits, wore face coverings and sought confrontation with the police. Calls to join them were also shared via social media. A brief discussion was held with the activists' spokesperson, but he stated that he was not authorised to reach any agreements with us. The UvA intended to file a complaint but didn't pursue this because the activists left voluntarily. The occupation ended around 17:30.
Tomorrow, 18 May, the buildings that are normally open on Saturday will close earlier, at 17:00. This also applies to the University Library. See uva.nl/studyspace for current opening hours of all Library locations.
The on-site emergency response officers helped the staff who were still present in the buildings of the Binnengasthuisterrein to calmly leave the premises.
Fortunately, no damage was done, and we are glad that the activists left peacefully on their own. The UvA aims to provide space for protest and demonstrations, but occupying buildings, setting up tent camps, and wearing face coverings are not allowed.
The other UvA buildings have also been closed and will remain closed as a precaution tonight. This also applies to the University Library (UB) on Singel. We regret this inconvenience for our students who wanted to use the Library as a place to study before exams. Discussions about the reopening in the coming days are ongoing. As soon as there is information, an update will follow.
We hope to continue the dialogue, respecting everyone's opinions and being open to each other's concerns and feelings.
Visit uva.nl/protests for more information regarding the demonstrations and the current situation on campus.