Leiden University location in The Hague on lockdown over security risk
A Leiden University building in The Hague is closed on Friday due to an “increased security risk,” the university said. It involves the Wijnhaven location on Turfmarkt. The university did not say what the increased risk entails.
Leiden University asked students and employees not to go to the Wijnhaven building on Friday. According to Omroep West, the building is locked up tight with its lights turned off. A person is posted outside to turn students away.
Other Leiden University buildings in The Hague are open, but checking LU cards - the card required to gain access to Leiden University buildings like libraries - before letting people in, according to NU.nl.
A spokesperson for the university told Omroep West that the Wijnhaven location would also be closed on Saturday. They wouldn’t elaborate on the reason.
Academic work at the university’s campus in The Hague is focused on international law, international security and peace, globalization, international relations, and politics. Research and coursework are also focused in the fields of public administration, public finance, urban issues, public health, and healthcare, according to the university. The building is typically open seven days a week.
The last time a Dutch university closed down a location for security reasons was Erasmus MC in Rotterdam on September 29. Medical student Fouad A. gunned down a lecturer at Erasmus MC after shooting and killing his neighbor and her 14-year-old daughter. He was arrested at the university hospital.
Three Jewish schools in Amsterdam are also closed on Friday due to the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ call for protests to support the Palestinian people today. Hamas committed an attack on Israel on Saturday, and a full-blown war has broken out since. The Netherlands has been “extra alert” to the safety of Jewish institutions this week, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. Extra security measures have been taken in several places.
Earlier this year, several Dutch secondary schools also had to close due to security risks - in May, there was a wave of shooting and bomb threats targeting schools, mainly in Amsterdam but also in other cities.
