Last weekend, I visited the Protest exhibition in Maastricht. As Observant wrote recently, it’s absolutely fantastic: visually striking, intellectually rich, and emotionally resonant. It reminds us that protest is not just political, it’s deeply human, and demonstrates that polite requests rarely lead to structural change in history. From civil rights marches to feminist sit-ins, the most impactful movements in the modern era have unsettled the status quo.
This reflection felt especially timely after the recent Vuelta a España cycling race, where activists disrupted the event to draw attention to the horrible events currently taking place in Gaza. The action sparked debate: Was it a legitimate act of protest, or an unfair intrusion into a public sporting competition? Similar questions arose following the September 14th march in London, where over 100,000 protesters called, among other things, for the expulsion of migrants. Was that a valid protest, or an incitement to hatred? And what about the violent anti migration protest, last Saturday in The Hague?
The exhibition equips visitors with critical tools to recognize and reflect on the risks of ‘bothsidesism’ or false balance. While protest remains an unalienable right in democratic societies, the messages it conveys may not always be legitimate (or even legal). It is both just and necessary to publicly denounce war crimes and flagrant violations of basic human rights. Conversely, spreading hatred against migrants seeking refuge in Europe is unjust and illegitimate.
Furthermore, as a visitor I was compelled to think about the illusion of neutrality. When conflict is a daily presence, when violence is not an exception but the norm, remaining neutral becomes not just difficult, but often untenable. Neutrality can be a form of detachment that ignores the urgency and moral weight of what is actually happening. I have the impression that, in its response to recent pro-Palestinian protests, Maastricht University has partly walked straight into both these traps, trying to balance opposing views without realising that this cause demands moral clarity now more than ever. By attempting to remain neutral, our institution risks appearing inoperant in front of the unprecedented humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Gaza.
Pablo del Hierro is associate professor of history at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.