In the early hours of Tuesday morning, anti-Israel riots that have been sweeping across campuses in the United States have now reached the Netherlands. Police in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, arrested more than 120 people at an encampment established at the University of Amsterdam.

According to a statement on X (formerly Twitter), police stated that the protests turned violent, and their action was necessary to restore order. Videos aired by national broadcaster NOS showed officers using batons and shields as they moved into the demonstration, beating some of the protesters and pulling down tents. Additionally, a mechanical digger was employed to remove barricades. Despite the forceful actions taken, no injuries have been reported.

The European demonstrators emulated their counterparts at prestigious American colleges and universities by constructing barricades from wooden pallets and bicycles. Photos from the Amsterdam campus depicted anti-Israel banners, erected tents, and containers of food gathered by the agitators. As more and more people joined the protest, they occupied a section of the university, calling on Amsterdam universities to sever academic ties with Israel due to its conflict with Hamas in Gaza and the resulting civilian death toll.

The police intervention was prompted by scuffles that broke out on Monday night between two rival groups on the campus. The officers repeatedly instructed the protesters to disperse, but their orders went ignored. Consequently, the makeshift camp was forcefully cleared. Justifying their actions, the police stated, "The protest in this form created a very unsafe situation, partly due to the barricades that prevented emergency services from entering the site. In the event of a disaster, the activists themselves could possibly become stuck on the site."

Thankfully, the campus remained calm on Tuesday after the crowd was dispersed. It is worth noting that similar demonstrations have been observed on campuses in France and the United Kingdom in the past few days.

These anti-Israel riots, which have now reached Amsterdam, underscore the growing prevalence of protests calling for a halt to academic collaborations with Israel and demanding solidarity with Gaza. The authorities are navigating a delicate balance between safeguarding public safety and allowing peaceful expression of dissent. As tensions continue to rise, it remains to be seen how universities and governments will address these demonstrations in the days to come.