Protest march against student housing shortage in Groningen

The Groningen student activist group Shelter Our Students (S.O.S.) is holding a "march for the homeless" on Thursday to draw attention to the housing crisis, especially among international students. This year there are hundreds of students who have not yet been able to find a home.

These students are currently sleeping in the municipality's emergency shelter and in shelter that S.O.S. arranged for them. The action group also knows of students staying with friends or on campsites.

The organization asked march participants to bring sleeping bags as a symbol for the protest. "Because even though these students have a roof over their heads, they're still sleeping in a sleeping bag," said a spokesperson for S.O.S.

The activists will gather on the Grote Markt in Groningen at 12:00 p.m. and march from there to the academy building of the University of Groningen.

Other cities are also struggling with a housing shortage for students. In Enschede, for example, about 400 to 500 international students have not found a room, even though the academic year already started.