Protests at Maastricht University - Update 1

Today protest rallies were held throughout the Netherlands against the ongoing war in Gaza, including by students and staff at Maastricht University. Obviously, the right to protest applies at our university. The position of the UM Executive Board is that we allow peaceful gatherings so long as there is no anti-Semitism, discrimination against Muslims or other forms of discrimination. Calls for hatred or violence are also not tolerated. 

 

Generally, such protests and gatherings at UM proceed without incident. This is also true of today's walk-out and subsequent setting up of a “tent camp” in an enclosed area behind the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS).

Staying in dialogue with each other and preventing escalation is of utmost importance to both the Executive Board and FASoS. For that reason, Executive Board chair Rianne Letschert and representatives of the academic staff of FASoS are now in talks with a delegation of the activists. As soon as there is news to report, we will do so.

More updates

  • Maastricht University's Executive Board, in close consultation with the deans, is developing a human rights due diligence assessment tool to help make an informed assessment of whether, and if so to what extent, our partners with whom we have an administrative partnership are involved in violations...

  • In the morning of Wednesday, 22 May, a group of student protestors occupied a Maastricht University (UM) building at Grote Gracht. This prompted the university to engage in discussions with the protesters, some of whom had also set up a tent camp behind the building the previous week. 

  • Due to the occupation of some of the FASoS buildings, FASoS will be closed until further notice. There will be no teaching on-campus today and we are looking into whether classes can move online. Our students will be informed about the closure of our buildings and the consequences this has on...

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  • UM is still in dialogue with the protesting students that are involved in today's occupation of the FASoS building. The aim is and remains 'de-escalation', and the safety of everyone involved comes first. At the same time, we want to ensure that we can fulfil our primary task, education and research...

  • For safety reasons and to ensure the continuity of teaching and research, Maastricht University has taken a number of measures.

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