"International Student Movement"

The Hague:
Police Attacks Education Protest

The Kritische Studenten Utrecht reports:

15,000 students protested in The Hague on January 21st against the cuts being imposed on education and student financing. These plans of the most rightwing government in Dutch history will abolish the study financing for Master students, to impose a 3000-euro fine to students (as well as universities) if a student delays more than 1 year to graduate and respectfully to their education institutions where they study, and the abolishment of their right to free of charge public transport.

The protests started peacefully but after the large rally thousands of students went into the center of town and to the ministry of education to voice their anger. They where confronted with heavy police violence.

Here are some pics and videos

• Timeline photo's and videos on Dutch indymedia
• Another timeline with lots of videos and photos
  

Videos of police violence

• Video: Police charge in center of the Hague.
• Video: Confrontation between students and police outside ministry of education

Statement against cuts in English
The struggle of students is a struggle of all of us

Additional information: About 1/3 of all professors in the Netherlands participated in a protest event as well. Activists in Den Haag report that up to 28 students were arrested. An eye witness said: "I saw the riot police (ME) using tear-gas, and hitting students, and everyone, also ordinary citizens had to leave the Plein, next to the parliament and the Mauritshuis." Another protester explained: "Police started hitting protesters who walked into the intercity of the Hague, to the Ministery of Education and the Parliament. Media says protesters started using violence, which is not true." The prime minister reacted saying: "It's interesting to see that students engage in education policies but the government will not change anyting on its proposed policies".

Further reports and visual material:

~ libcom.org (report in English) ~ nachrichten.at (report in German) ~ rtl.nl (video in Dutch) ~
~ youtube.com (video report in French) ~ youtube.com (11mins video footages) ~
~ regio15.nl (pictures and video) ~ youtube.com (video report in Dutch) ~
~ youtube.com (video report in English - typical SAD arguments by professors) ~