Climate activists occupy halls at universities
Climate activists occupied a hall at Utrecht University on Monday. This week there will also be occupations or actions at six other institutions, they have announced.
Climate activists from End Fossil: Occupy came to the hall of Utrecht University's Minnaert building Monday morning. They were holding workshops there and demanding that universities sever all ties with the fossil industry.
The international Scientist Rebellion movement is taking action in more than 25 countries under the slogan The Science is Clear. This will also happen in Delft, Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Wageningen, and Velp in the coming days, according to a press release.
Workshops will also be held at these locations if all goes well and lectures are not disrupted. Scientist Rebellion has also launched a petition on mandatory climate education for all students.
Music
The week of action began last Sunday in Amsterdam when over 100 scientists and musicians demonstrated together for a more just climate policy. The “Science and Music Climate March” ran from Dam Square past the KNAW science society's Trippenhuis and ended at the NEMO Science Museum.
Protesting scientists and classical musicians go well together, believes oboist Anna Marieke Zijlstra, a member of XR-musicians. “Neither group is known for their activism. By taking to the streets together, we want to emphasize how serious the climate situation is.”
In November and January, buildings at Erasmus University, the Eindhoven University of Technology, and the University of Amsterdam were already occupied. The VU Amsterdam announced in April that it no longer wants to cooperate with companies in the fossil energy sector that do not comply with the Climate Agreement. According to the action group Scientist Rebellion, the VU is the second university in the world to make that decision.
