Amsterdam Zuidas businesses taking measures ahead of anti-genocide, anti-facism rally
Several businesses in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district have taken measures ahead of a rally there on Friday. Demonstrators will march through the business district to protest against genocide in Gaza, the Dutch government’s disregard of climate change, and growing global fascism, the organizers said on Instagram.
Several businesses have asked employees to work from home. The head office of ABN Amro, where the rally starts, will be closed completely, spokespeople told AT5. “Friday is quiet anyway, because it is a work-from-home day,” a spokesperson for the bank said. “But to guarantee safety, we have decided to close completely.”
Office buildings like Regus and Symphony Offices, which house dozens of companies, told AT5 that they would close before the protest. Shops in the Zuidas gave various responses. For example, a restaurant said that it would move its terrace indoors early in the afternoon, but stressed that the local catering businesses aren’t very busy on Friday afternoons.
The demonstration, jointly organized by the activist groups The Surge Netherlands, Activistenpartij UvA, AFA Nederland, Free Palestine Netherlands, and Amsterdam Encampment, was scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. at the ABN Amro head office.
“With the breach of the ceasefire in Palestine and the continuation of the genocide, the official disregard of climate conservation laws by the Dutch government, and the growing fascism all over the world, it’s time to rise up again,” the organization wrote when announcing the protest five days ago.
The organizations have protested in the Amsterdam city center in the past, but this time deliberately opted for the city’s commercial district. “Outside the city center, global elitists can safely stay inside their privileged bubble while they greedily destroy our planet, empower fascists, and happily profit from war and genocide,” the organizers said. “It’s time to hold them accountable and make their ivory towers tremble.”
The demonstration is aimed at several large companies, including banks ABN Amro, Mizuho, and BNP Paribas, insurer AXA, and the investment management company Van Eck. They demand that these institutions divest from “companies involved in settlements and supplying arms to Israel” and only invest in or give loans to companies that uphold human rights.
The organizations didn’t register the rally with the municipality, a spokesperson for the mayor told the Amsterdam broadcaster. The police said that they are aware of the demonstration.
