Small occupation B building REC, UvA files report | ME evacuates
Around noon, several students, staff 'and others' occupied classrooms and a toilet block in the B wing of the Roeterseiland campus, Amsterdam.encampment said via an announcement on Instagram. The UvA filed a report mid-afternoon. Around half past four, the ME entered the premises and shortly afterwards began clearing the grounds and occupied classrooms.
The premises in question were B1.01 and B1.02 and a toilet room, according to the occupiers. It is not known how many occupiers are involved; they are masked. The demands, of course, are: severing university ties with Israel. Security has cordoned off part of building-B to prevent new protesters from joining. The rest of the building appears undisturbed.
The UvA has not (yet) released an official statement. However, a UvA spokesperson does let it be known that FMG dean Agneta Fischer is on site trying to make contact with the occupiers.
Update 14.15: Security has closed off access to Building-B. Lectures have been cancelled.
Update 14.35: The 20 protesters have left the building and are now protesting in front of the REC-ABC entrance.
Update 15.10: Four protesters have remained in building-B and plan to stay there. Officers are now moving in.
Update 15:40: A UvA spokesperson informs that a small group has closed in and barricaded the doors. The UvA is filing a report for local disturbance and destructions.
Update 16:40: An estimated 30 ME officers entered the area around the entrance to the ABCD building and the bridge to the E-building.
Update: 17:15: The UvA has prematurely closed all buildings on the REC. Meanwhile, the ME is evacuating the campus; a police spokesperson informs that at most a few dozen people are still on the premises. ‘We are checking everything, inside and outside.’ Finally thirteen people were detained, according to the police.
