Amsterdam protest dispersed amid rallies in four Dutch cities

A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amsterdam was dispersed at 20:15 on 7 October on the mayor’s orders, NOS reported. Protesters had gathered on Dam square before some continued into the city. A spokesperson for Mayor Femke Halsema told AT5 that some demonstrators had not followed an instruction to gather at Stoperaplein, prompting fears of disorder. [2] [3]

The Amsterdam gathering was one of four reported that evening by Dutch news agency ANP. It estimated about 100 protesters at Utrecht Centraal station after 18:00 and roughly 100 on the Dam in an early report. ANP also reported protests in Rotterdam and Arnhem but gave no attendance figures for either city. Dagblad010 reported that demonstrators in Rotterdam gathered by the central station and headed towards Weena and Coolsingel. [1] [4]

AT5 reported that a police spokesperson said prosecutors had reviewed banners, including one reading ‘we support Hamas’, and judged their wording not to be criminal. NOS also reported that police found the banner texts did not break the law. The reason given for dispersing the Amsterdam demonstration concerned the location instruction, not the banners. [2] [3]