Campaigners of Palestine Solidarity Tilburg (PST) were removed by the police from the glass corridor of the Cobbenhagen building of Tilburg University on Thursday evening. They occupy the course because they do not agree with the university’s decision not to boycott Israeli universities.
A protest march took place earlier in the day. The activists then walked from the Koopmansgebouw via the Glass corridor towards the Cobbenhagen building. For safety reasons, access to the Cobbenhagen building was then closed.
The demonstrators are angry about the university of the university according to them. “Every day that the university continues to work together, she contributes to genocide,” heard Omroep Tilburg One of the activists calls a megaphone.
In conversation
The university emphasizes to take its moral responsibility seriously, but first wants to talk to its Israeli partners before they decide to suspend the collaborations.
According to the Executive Board, this is a way to critically reflect on one’s own role and to speak out against human rights violations. That reaction does not go far enough for the activists.
Open letter
PST indicated that he wanted to hand over an open letter to chairman Wim van de Donk of the Executive Board, but he was not able to accept that letter.
“Various conversations have taken place with PST and it has been offered to talk to the rector at a different time,” the university says on its own website. “PST did not respond to this offer and has indicated that it will stay in the glass corridor.”
Calm
The Executive Board of Tilburg University says it is enormously regrettable that it was forced to evacuate by the police according to the protocol.
“Most demonstrators left themselves after warnings. Some remaining demonstrators were eventually accompanied by the police in a calm way.”