The municipality of Utrecht is calling on pro-Palestinian protesters to leave Jaarbeursplein. According to the municipality, the 500 attendees do not adhere to the corona rules and the organization of the ‘Free Palestine’ demonstration is, according to the municipality, not able to keep everyone at a distance.
The municipality had set a maximum of 500 protesters for the anti-Israel demonstration. When that number was reached, people were called to stop coming.
The demonstration began at 5 p.m. in response to the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The demonstration would last two hours.
Images show the protesters waving Palestinian flags and standing close to each other. A banner reads: “Justice for the Palestinians, where is the International Criminal Court?” There are many police officers on the edge of the square near Utrecht Central.
Torn flag
Day before yesterday there was a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the Israeli embassy in The Hague. There an Israeli flag was taken from a mast and torn to pieces. The VVD in The Hague has asked the city council questions about this.
“Of course you can demonstrate, especially in The Hague, but within the rules of the law and with respect for the rule of law,” said VVD party chairman De Graaf at Broadcaster West. “That was clearly not the case here and I do not understand why the police did not intervene.”
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