Police in the Dutch capital said on social network X that the action was necessary to restore order after peaceful protests turned violent. No injuries have been reported so far.
Video from national broadcaster NOS shows police using an excavator to tear down barricades, while police use batons and shields to restrain demonstrators and tear down their tents.
According to NOS, the protesters built barricades on the university grounds out of wooden pallets and bicycles.
Several dozen demonstrators occupied an area on the university campus on Monday, calling on Amsterdam’s higher education institutions to sever academic ties with Israel over its war with the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In recent weeks, similar protests have taken place at universities in France and the United Kingdom, as well as in the United States.
Pictures taken on Tuesday morning show tents, banners and various food items on the grounds of the University of Amsterdam.
On Monday evening, before police arrived, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters clashed and turned violent.
The protesters were told to leave the area after disobeying the officers’ orders, according to police.
“This kind of protest created a very unsafe situation, partly due to the barricades that prevented emergency services from getting to the scene. In the event of an accident, the activists themselves could have been stuck in the place,” the police said.
She added that the campus was calm on Tuesday, but officers continued to patrol the area.
The university did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation.
The university published a list of cooperation issues with Israel, which mainly mentions student exchanges with universities and research projects involving Israeli scientists.
The university “will not contribute to hostilities under any circumstances, nor do we intend to participate in exchanges related to military education,” according to its website.
Tags: Police chased arrested proPalestinian protesters University Amsterdam
