Mayor Koen Schuiling of Groningen expressed strong disapproval of the University of Groningen (RUG) staff who criticized police actions during the recent pro-Palestine demonstration. The criticism was voiced through an open letter signed by 105 university employees and published in the Dagblad van het Noorden.
The employees’ letter condemned what they perceived as excessive use of force by the police during the protest, which involved the occupation and subsequent evacuation of a university building. “We are shocked by the amount and degree of violence used by the police during the protest,” the letter stated. Mayor Schuiling was particularly annoyed by the reference to police violence and the lack of prior communication from the letter’s signatories with the city administration.
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“I cannot understand what motivated university staff to write such a letter without first contacting us for a dialogue, which we are always open to. I find this behavior completely unacceptable. That’s not how we do things in Groningen,” Schuiling told the city council.
His remarks were met with a thunderous “How dare you!” echoing through the chamber, reminiscent of climate activist Greta Thunberg’s now-famous address to the UN. The exclamation came from an unidentified woman who claimed to have experienced harsh police treatment during the evacuation. She was quickly called to order, as visitors are not permitted to interject during council debates.
Despite the tension, Schuiling expressed his willingness to engage with the letter’s signatories after the debate. “The letter presents a very one-sided view of the police action, wrongly using the term ‘police violence.’ Officers operate under immense pressure during any evacuation and must ensure their own safety while performing their duties, often making split-second decisions to avoid endangering demonstrators,” he added.
“Images speak louder than words”: Staff refute Mayor’s claims
Hans Wilke, a lecturer from the Faculty of Arts and representative of the letter’s authors, maintained that the recorded footage of the event speaks for itself. “We refuse to stay silent when violence is used against our students exercising their right to protest,” Wilke stated in a written response. The staff criticized the university’s decision to involve the police, calling it an unnecessary escalation against the university’s own policy of dialogue and the right to demonstrate.
The staff believe that the police’s involvement contradicted the university’s values and are seeking a constructive conversation with Mayor Schuiling to address their concerns.
