Hundreds of demonstrators are again present at Central Station in Amsterdam tonight for a so-called sit-in. The demonstrators sit in the station hall to express their solidarity for Palestine.
Since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, there have been several such actions in the station, such as on November 7th and for the protest against the PVV. According to the organization of the action, a sit-in will be held at several major stations in the country tonight. In addition to Amsterdam, this would also include the stations of Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Alkmaar.
Flags of the Palestinian state are waved and the controversial slogan ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ is also chanted. Mayor Femke Halsema previously said that the slogan is ‘unacceptable’ and offensive. Others say that the slogan can be interpreted in multiple ways and that it is not used as a call to violence. Videos show the slogan being repeated several times.
Police present
The police are also present at the station and try to keep the demonstrators on one side as much as possible. This is done because, due to the renovation of CS, the station hall is one of the few ways to enter from the center side. That is why crowd barriers are also placed by the officers. Direct access to and from the metro via the station hall is closed due to the demonstration.
Questions from JA21
JA21 had asked the city council questions about the sit-in. The party wanted to know what the council thought of the demonstration that is being held at the same time as the Hanukkah celebration on Dam Square. In answers to the questions, Mayor Halsema said that the city has been ‘overflowing with emotions’ since the outbreak of the conflict and that this is being expressed through, for example, these types of demonstrations. Halsema points out that most demonstrations are peaceful and that there are no indications that additional demonstrations have been organized because of Hanukkah.
JA21 also wanted to know whether the police were going to intervene, because the NS had requested this. The mayor says that demonstrations are allowed in that part of the station, as it is accessible to the public, and that there have been no reasons to intervene during previous editions of the sit-in. If criminal offenses are committed, the police can take action.