AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters as thousands marched in the Dutch capital on Tuesday, a day after riot police violently cleared an Amsterdam university encampment.
Police officers were seen using batons against protesters to stop them from marching near the Holocaust memorial as they headed toward downtown Amsterdam.
When the protesters reached the central site of the University of Amsterdam, they barricaded the narrow canal road in front of the university buildings.
Earlier in the day, a crowd of several hundred people gathered, chanting slogans against the war in Gaza and condemning ongoing Israeli military operations.
The demonstrators chanted “Free Palestine, free!” » “A united people will never be defeated. »
Student protests against the war and university relations with Israel began to spread across Europe, but remained on a much smaller scale than those experienced in the United States.
Statements and video recordings from the protest showed that Amsterdam police used a bulldozer to tear down the barricades early Tuesday and arrested 169 people in sometimes violent clashes.
University faculty and employees, angry at the police response, called for another protest Tuesday afternoon.
A group calling itself Dutch Scientists for Palestine said in a statement: “Students and staff describe the use of pepper spray, police batons, police dogs and bulldozers to forcibly remove them. People were injured by this extreme violence. »
“We strongly and unequivocally emphasize the right of students and academics to protest. We denounce the University of Amsterdam administration's resort to violence instead of responding to the justified demands of students. »
The university said in a statement that the initially peaceful student protest, which began Monday afternoon, turned hostile, with people beaten, fireworks thrown and the Israeli flag burned.
The university provided a list of its programs in Israel to meet the student groups' request, but a core group of protesters was not satisfied and refused to leave.
The statement said: "We deeply regret that things happened the way they did. Protests are permitted at the university, but without face coverings, barriers or an atmosphere of intimidation."
In messages posted overnight on social media site
Police said protesters ignored requests from the university and the mayor to leave the campus.
All but four protesters were released Tuesday morning. The four were arrested for public violence and insulting a police officer.
A police spokeswoman said one officer suffered hearing damage, adding that it was still unclear how many other people may have been injured.
Police said: "Police intervention was necessary to restore order. We see the images on social media. We are aware that these images may appear intense."
Outgoing Education Minister Robert Dijkgraaf said universities are places for dialogue and debate, and that he was saddened to see that the police had to intervene.