The first night of the pro-Palestine demonstration at the Harmonie square went by with only minor incidents. One person was arrested, but the police did not specify whether it was a protester.
According to the demonstration’s Instagram page, the protesters received visits overnight from ‘hooligans, Zionists, and the police’.
The police say they went to the encampment after a report of a disturbance. ‘One person could not identify themselves and was therefore arrested’, said a police spokesperson. They declined to confirm whether the individual was a protester.
Continue as scheduled
‘There is some tension, of course, but that’s the case with the entire conflict and the different opinions about it’, said Hans Coenraads, spokesperson for mayor Koen Schuiling. ‘But it’s not so significant that we feel we need to take other measures.’
He reiterated that as long as the demonstration remains peaceful and does not disrupt traffic, it may continue as scheduled today.
Calm atmosphere
On Tuesday morning around 9, the atmosphere at the Harmonie square was calm. Several dozen protesters were sitting in the sun, having breakfast or chatting with each other. Shortly afterward, they gathered in the middle of the square to discuss the day.
Meanwhile, normal academic life continues. According to a UG spokesperson, Tuesday is like any other day: buildings are open, classes are ongoing, and students and staff can come to the university as usual.
‘We are monitoring the situation from the central crisis team’, said the spokesperson. ‘So far, everything seems calm, and normal activities can proceed as usual.’