Painted red squares at Roeterseiland are part of national protest
Campaigners have painted dozens of red squares on and around the Roeterseilandcampus as part of the nation-wide campaign Red Square Everywhere. ‘We want the minister to stop the budget cuts.’
The student movements Humanities Rally, Democratische Academie Groningen, Nieuwe Universiteit Utrecht, Nieuwe Universiteit Maastricht and Changing Perspective Nijmegen have joined in protest behind the Red Square Everywhere campaign. ‘The minister is deaf to our protests,’ says Geertje Hulzebos, former chairman of the National Student Union. ‘We are calling on her to stop the budget cuts. If they persist, further action will follow.’
According to the press release, students will hang banners and distribute red squares, a symbol borrowed from previous student protests. Furthermore, they hope to mobilise the academic community to join in demonstration on 24 November agains the student loan system and on 14 December against the budget cuts to university education.
On Thursday afternoon, students in various Dutch cities hung banners. Activists on the Roeterseilandcampus had already painted red squares on trash cans, urinals and the streets that morning as well as hung a red square flag on the Westerkerk. On Monday, activists hung a large red square from the Martini Tower in Groningen.
