First-year students explore Nijmegen city centre; activists interrupt speech by President of the Executive Board
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Eerstejaars op de foto met burgemeester Bruls. Foto: Diede van der Vleuten
On Monday evening, orientation week also kicked off in the city centre with several performances and speeches in Molenstraat. A speech by President of the Radboud University Executive Board Alexandra van Huffelen was interrupted by pro-Palestine demonstrators. Soon after, the partying resumed.
‘I’m guessing you’re not hoping for a long speech from me, am I right?’ Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls gets some laughs as he addresses several hundred first-year students on a stage at Café Van Buren in Molenstraat a little after eight o’clock on Monday evening. His rhetorical question is answered with a resounding ‘Yes!’.
A day after the start of orientation week on campus, an official opening night is taking place in the heart of Nijmegen’s entertainment district. The evening starts with a performance by Feest College. Despite the DJs’ frantic efforts, most students are stubbornly keeping their feet on the ground. ‘I need to drink a bit more, but it’s nice that more and more students are joining in,’ says prospective IT student Jayden (19).
Booing
Following the mayor’s speech, presidents Rob Verhofstad (HAN University of Applied Sciences) and Alexandra van Huffelen (Radboud University) take the floor. In her speech, Van Huffelen says she wants to welcome international students to beautiful Nijmegen, where both HAN University of Applied Sciences and Radboud University have many facilities to offer to students, including those who enjoy sports.
The President of the Executive Board cannot get much further. From the audience, some pro-Palestine demonstrators suddenly throw a dozen teddy bears onto the stage, presumably in reference to the estimated 20,000 children killed in the war in Gaza. As some Nijmegen Encampment students also climb on stage and unfurl a banner with the message that Radboud University should cut ties with Israeli universities, the President of the Board announces that she is discontinuing her speech.
Actions against ties with Israel
For the past year and a half, pro-Palestine demonstrators have been holding actions on the Radboud University campus. They do this in various ways, including demonstrations, graffiti, and tent camps. At the end of last academic year, activists also smashed some windows at the Berchmanianum.
The protesters demand that the university cut all ties with Israeli institutions. Following the advice of the International Partnerships Committee, Radboud University froze its ties with Tel Aviv and Hebrew University, two Israeli partner universities. This is not enough for the campaigners, who want the university to cut all ties with Israeli institutions
An activist who refuses to leave is carried off stage by security guards. Very briefly, some booing can be heard. Shortly after, the next DJ starts his set, asking the audience: ‘Are you guys ready for a party yet?’
Party atmosphere
The students’ reactions to Nijmegen Encampment’s action vary. ‘Honestly, I don’t think students were really into it; you could hear it from the booing,’ says Wouter, a mentor from the study programme in IT (19). According to prospective Psychology student Lynn (17), the timing of the action in particular was wrong. ‘There is a party atmosphere now,’ she says. Fellow student Fleur (19) does not quite agree. ‘The DJ started his set while that girl was still being carried off stage; he really could have waited a bit.’
Most orientation participants just seemed relieved that music was once again blaring through the speakers. ‘I like the atmosphere better now than during those speeches,’ Wouter admits afterwards, laughing. ‘But, I understand that this is what the municipality wants, and it is nice to have seen the mayor once.’ The group of prospective Psychology students agrees. ‘It’s fine, but without speeches it would have been fine too,’ says Fleur.
