Police break up another protest by pro-Palestinian activists at the University of Amsterdam

Students gather for a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, on May 7, 2024

In sometimes violent confrontations, police broke up a protest by pro-Palestinian activists at the University of Amsterdam Wednesday in a second straight day of unrest over the war in Gaza.

After police ended a blockade on university grounds, hundreds of demonstrators moved to a nearby square to continue protesting late into the evening, demanding an end to the war. Some asked the university to sever academic relations with Israel.

It was unclear if and how many people were injured during the scuffles and how many protesters were detained by police.

Also, at Utrecht University, some 45 kilometers (30 miles) to the south, students occupied a university building to protest Israeli actions in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Student protests have been gaining momentum across Europe, following similar actions in the U.S. universities where several encampments have spread out.

The war started after the Palestinian militant groups attacked the southern of Israel, killing 1,200 people in a surprise attack and taking around 250 hostage. Israel’s’ retaliatory military operation has killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and has devastated the Gaza Strip.