Video: Driver nearly runs down Pro-Palestinian group during Amsterdam blockade clashes
A pro-Palestinian protest that blocked a central road in front of the University of Amsterdam got out of hand on Thursday afternoon. Video from the scene showed several confrontations between protestors and drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. One incident led to a driver revving his engine and accelerating his car, nearly hitting one of the protesters who had fallen on the roadway.
It happened on the Roetersstraat in front of the university's campus, where a few dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrations were organized in recent months. On Thursday, most of those gathered were covering their faces in some fashion once they arrived around 3 p.m., and many spoke English and other languages. All vehicles trying to cross the road were stopped by the demonstrators, including trams.
The situation became heated within an hour. Video from AT5 showed that the driver then revved his engine hard enough for the tires to spin in place as he then drove towards the demonstrators before reversing again and driving off. There were no injuries reported in connection with the incident.
A person driving a scooter in the area was also forced to stop. As he argued with the protesters, he was yanked off his vehicle and thrown to the ground.
Duw- en trekwerk met fietsers die er langs willen. Het gaat er soms niet zachtzinnig aan toe. #UvA pic.twitter.com/YOB0eE27QX
— Folia (@Folia) June 13, 2024
In another incident, a man biking south on the street was also not allowed to pass. When he got off his OV-fiets rental bike, he also was blocked from walking through. Several demonstrators gave him a hard push backwards, another yanked him back by his backpack, while another woman pulled his bicycle forward.
Then, as he tried to walk around them on the sidewalk, another person sat down in front of the man. He then picked up his bicycle to walk past, when three or four demonstrators tried to yank it down, including one who looked as if he wanted to throw the bicycle into a canal.
As that situation developed, the protesters began pushing and harassing another person who was not allowed to pass. As he called them "fucking idiots" in Dutch, one of those physically pushing the biker yelled he needed to get out of the area. One more person with the demonstration told the biker he could walk by on the sidewalk, but the others prevented this.
Demonstrators also harassed and kicked the vehicle of another driver who appeared to question why the protesters would not let him through during rush hour. As the protesters took an aggressive and intimidating position, one woman appeared to take a photo of his license plate, while another took a photo or shot video of the driver.
Another woman also shot video of the license plate of an individual on a green motorcycle who was not allowed to pass by. Several incidents were witnessed where demonstrators would hit the cars that were trying to get past and exchanged words with drivers.
Demonstrators would not speak to the reporters at the scene. It was not clear if any of them were affiliated with the university as students, alumni, faculty or staff. Once police arrived on scene, they moved a short distance to Sarphatistraat, Mauritskade, and Weesperstraat, tying up traffic on the busy roads at the end of the work day.