Cameras and floodlights were placed on the Broerplein in Groningen’s city centre on Wednesday, as a result of pro-Palestinian actions in recent months.
In front of the Academy building and the UB, four masts, each with three cameras and a number of floodlights that can illuminate the entire Broerplein, have been erected. The cameras are trained on the Academy building, the UB, and the open space between them.
In addition, the university is taking ‘invisible measures’. The UG has taken the initiative and the municipality of Groningen has agreed to it.
Target
The UG announced last month that it was stepping up security at Broerplein after the Academy building, the Röling building and especially the UB were targeted by pro-Palestinian activists.
In November, December and April, buildings were vandalised with pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans. The UB and the Academy building’s windows were also smashed.
Actions in Amsterdam
The masts being erected now is unrelated to the situation in Amsterdam and Utrecht, where students have been campaigning for several days in response to the war in Gaza. ‘It’s a coincidence’, says a UG spokesperson. ‘This was already in progress.’
Currently, pro-Palestinian protesters have occupied one of the main buildings of the University of Amsterdam (UvA). They are demanding that that university cut ties with Israel and speak out about the situation in Gaza. In Utrecht, people are also on edge.