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Wednesday, 16 April, 16.00
An estimated 1500 people were out to demonstrate today, says the organisation. Next week there will be protests in Eindhoven and Delft.
Wednesday, 16 April, 14.15
Many are carrying a Palestinian flag.
After the strike, a number of pro-Palestinian groups announced on Instagram earlier this week (including Free Palestine Maastricht and the Maastricht Student Encampment that set up a tent camp in the garden at FASoS last year) that an “open meeting” is taking place at Kaleido. The goal: to “discuss the current situation with the university” and “brainstorm about a mobilization.”
In the meantime, there is extra security at several downtown university buildings, including the administration building on Minderbroedersberg and the FASoS premises on Grote Gracht. At the law school, access is only possible with a UM card. To prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from entering the buildings, one of the security guards let it be known. “As a precaution, there are no concrete signs that they intend to do so.”
Wednesday, 16 April, 14.00
After the speeches, all attendees walk in a march through the city center, the Executive Board and the organisation leading the way.
The Executive Board, along with the organisation, walking in the front
Wednesday, 16 April, 13.45
"Go home," the crowd yells after a representative of the student union Mosa gives a speech in Limburgish. "Bruins, Schoof, this cabinet: go home. The mines couldn’t stay open, but our universities still can."
Wednesday, 16 April, 13.30
UM President Rianne Letschert, Rector Pamela Habibović, and Open University President Nicole Ummelen step onto the stage. Letschert: "The government needs to realize that if you don’t sow, you won’t reap." Habibović adds: "We care about the future of our children, this country, and Europe. And that’s why we care about science. But the government doesn’t realize that."
Ummelen points out that the Open University is already feeling the impact of the budget cuts, with many layoffs occurring just a few weeks ago. "A government should have a long-term vision for how to invest in higher education and science."
Rector Habibović in her speech: "We care about the future of our children"
Campus Venlo employees, plus loyal four-legged friend, are also present
"Cutting budget on education is no grow, no wealth, believe us, we are economics"
Wednesday, 16 April, 13.00
PvdA/GroenLinks leader Frans Timmermans leads the first don't do it's at the Vrijthof. "Cutting back on our future is the most unwise thing we can do", he tells the roughly 750 demonstrators at the Vrijthof.
PvdA/GroenLinks leader Frans Timmermans: "Don't do it"
Listening to the speakers on a rainy Vrijthof square
Wednesday, 16 April, 12.45
Slowly, protesters are entering the Vrijthof. The Maastricht Executive Board has already been spotted. The weather isn't cooperating. Union members pass out hats "against the rain".
Passing out the hats
Free fries are handed out on Vrijthof
Wednesday, April 16, 11:55
"Do you know anything about the budget cut plans?" At the University Library, UM staff members (on behalf of WOinActie) are talking to students about today's strike. Free coffee is available for anyone who's thirsty.
Wednesday, 16 April, 11.45
MOSA in front of the Inner City Library
The student union MOSA (Maastricht Organisation of Student Activists) is going around various university buildings, calling on students to join the strike. MOSA is still young but aims to give the city a voice again in the National Student Union (LSVb) in the future. Since their ‘founding,’ they have shown solidarity with the relay strike in higher education.
Wednesday, 16 April, 10.15
UM'ers are getting ready to head to the Vrijthof. People from various faculties are walking together to the protest, which begins at 1:00 PM with speeches by, among others, Executive Board President Rianne Letschert, aldermen from Maastricht and Heerlen, and representatives of the organising groups: the FNV and AOb unions, student union MOSA, and the activist group WOinActie.
The exact departure time is still a bit of a topic of debate, though — the organizers will already be welcoming strikers with free fries starting at 12:30 PM. Anyone in the action group chat who suggests 12:40 as a departure time is met with a teasing response: "But what about the fries?"
Wednesday, 16 April, 9:00
All Dutch universities are presenting a so-called joint 'self governance' plan today: a slate of measures aimed at reducing the influx of international students. For Maastricht University (UM) the impact is relatively mild. There are few surprises: for example, the English-taught European Law School will have a numerus fixus (enrollment cap) of 550 starting next academic year. The English-taught medicine track will be phased out by 2026. Read more
Even if the plan is supported by the minister, the cuts remain “draconian,” the Executive Board of UM writes in a press release on UMployee. A dissenting voice, via today's strike, is still needed, they say.
Wednesday, 16 April, 8:30
Prof. Harro van Lente gives a lecture at high school Porta Mosana
So-called teach-outs have started at several high schools in Maastricht — guest lectures by university (associate) professors and full professors as part of the strike. At the Porta Mosana College, Harro van Lente, Professor of Science and Technology Studies, kicks things off with a lecture on whether we should want to use new technology at all. But first he tells the students why these budget cuts are a bad idea: "We really need well-educated people."
Van Lente is currently doing a fellowship at the University of Aachen, but has come back to Maastricht especially for this day. "How can The Hague keep hammering on about innovation while at the same time pulling the foundation out from under it like this? Innovation requires people from all kinds of specialisations — you can't get there with just metalworkers. And we have to prevent studying from becoming something only a select group can afford."
Wednesday, 16 April, 8:00
A letter in which staff and students of UM, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, and the Open University express their solidarity with the strike has already been signed more than 2,500 times. Whether that number will also show up at the protest starting at 13:00 on the Vrijthof remains to be seen.