Schriftelijke bijdrage Jasmijn de Jong en Wasim Abueleyan

Why Amsterdam and UvA are not protecting us? 10/05/2024 Dear Vergadering Raadscommissie Algemene Zaken, Participants and Readers, We are writing this statement as hope that our voices can be heard and that the country where we live will be able to protect us. We were witnesses and victims of police brutality during the night between Monday May 6th and Tuesday May 7th in Amsterdam. We were present at the student occupation at Roeterseilandcampus. We decided that being present at the occupation was our duty as human beings. There is a genocide of the Palestinian population of Gaza unfolding right now in front of our eyes. Our University, among others, is complicit in this genocide and, indirectly, our students. We hope to live in a just world where paying taxes will not make us complicit in genocide. In the just world we wish for, all ethnic groups living in the area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea can live safely, in harmony, and according to their cultures. Including, people who identify themselves as Palestinians, Israelis, Arabs, belonging to Semitic groups, and many more. The words of our media depicting people like us as 'antisemitic' hurt deep in our hearts as they are being used to brainwash citizens and confuse them in a deeply upsetting political context.

We are not members of any organization, but we act independently within our personal capacity as human beings. We decided to stay the night at the occupation in two different positions. When the eviction started each of us was at a different bridge. Below will follow a statement from the person staying close to the Bridge Quds, the one leading to Niewe Achtergracht: "I came to the camp at a certain moment after a call was placed on social media about the occupation of the building. I went straight away with a few things, a drink and a tent. Immediately upon arrival the atmosphere was a bit chaotic, everyone was trying to help with something. I went to set up the tent and I started talking to the supporters. At a given moment, a lot of police cars with riot police and dogs came to surround the camp. Bulldozers were then immediately sent to the barricaded entrances.The bulldozers tried several times to remove the barricades. Ultimately, they succeeded. A lot of riot police entered the terrain from different directions. They immediately started beating everyone without warning, even if nobody did anything wrong. I started running in all directions of the terrain to find an exit. Unfortunately, everything around me was surrounded by police and there was a riot police boat on the canal.

At one point I ran to the other barred bridge, which was renominated Bridge Jenin, to try to get away over it. Unfortunately, that was not possible, as the riot police stood at the back of the bridge. I decided to go to the right before the riot police attacked Bridge Jenin. I went right with many others who were immediately surrounded by a riot police group. And they started hitting and kicking the people in the front, etc. I looked over and the whole area was a big beating place. On Bridge Jenin, I saw a group, especially young female-presenting people, who were being

beaten without thinking. I can still see them in my mind. Then we remain in the groups surrounded by the riot police and the abuse continues right and left. I and a few other people in the groups raised our hands and told the riot police officers that we are peaceful, and we want to get out. Ultimately, we and a small group were instructed by the riot police to leave the site and we did so. It is important to focus on the fact that the people in the camps are deprived of all opportunities to leave. All roads, waterways, etc. were surrounded. There was no time for anyone to leave voluntarily anyway. Then the riot police started beating up everyone on the site, kicking them, etc. None of the people on the bridge resisted, and you can tell from the police officers themselves, drones and helicopter. I would like to indicate that the action of the police and those behind them and the order given are completely out of proportion." The other person on Bridge Jenin, the one leading to Plantage Muidergracht. It is important to mention that there have been police officers just outside this barricade (as well as media) at least since sunset. Before violence started to escalate, other police officers were watching us from across the canal. A drone was also watching us all day long.

Therefore, the police was well informed about the fact that this group didn't participate in any type of violence. A personal statement follows: "From this position I was witnessing the violent eviction deploying in front of my eyes, as my group was the last one evicted. I was filming from the bridge almost the whole time. I have a video as proof of the following occurrences. A person next to me was also filming. One of these videos is widely available on social media. Before the police arrived at my group, a person came to prepare us, saying that the police was aggressive and that if we did not want to be confronted we should leave immediately. This is because we would not have any way to escape as police were on both sides of the barricade (behind it and in front of us on the bridge). One of us replied "But how are we gonna leave?", that is when we realized it was not possible. Indeed, even if we would get up and leave there wasn't any 'safe corridor' for those who didn't want to be harassed by the police. Therefore, we decided that the best solution is to sit down and start chanting "We are peaceful, what are you?". At this point, we were at least six lines of human chains sitting down on the bridge. I was on the last line. I stayed also because I thought I had a right to protest peacefully in a democratic country.

For a moment it seems like the police would give us more time, but than they come back and make their way towards us on the bridge, probably after receiving an order from a higher rank. One police officer shouts 'lopen' in Dutch as he is walking towards us, and starts hitting us directly when he arrives to the first human chain. Everybody sitting with me was being beaten by the police in front of my eyes. At some point I had to stop filming because I was afraid that my phone would break and the evidence of police brutality would be destroyed. I would like to remind you that it is our right as citizens or anyone to film police misconduct to uncover the truth.". There was no moment for us to be able to collect our belongings after the police started the eviction. Many among us lost their belongings, such as tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, etc.

The most outstanding to us is the large quantity of food that was not recoverable as the area was completely closed and cleaned up by the police. This exaggerated deployment of violence is a clear statement that the University and the municipality were feeling threatened by the pro-Palestinian movement. Why the University, the municipality, and the police were not able to protect us? What are they protecting instead of human rights? Kind regards, Jasmijn de Jong and Wasim Abueleyan