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Protests, Rail Disruptions and Major Fires Test Dutch Cities After Oct. 7 Anniversary

Authorities cite acute safety risks at a Nijmegen lab occupation requiring specialist units.

Overview

  • Police began clearing Radboud University’s occupied Goudsmit pavilion in Nijmegen, deploying EOD and riot units under a GRIP‑2 response due to explosion risks cited by the dean.
  • Officers guarded the site and detained occupiers as they exited, with negotiators engaged and some protesters leaving voluntarily.
  • Trains to and from Amsterdam Centraal were briefly halted after pro‑Palestinian activists, including Extinction Rebellion, blocked tracks; services later resumed and multiple arrests followed after the group demanded sanctions on Israel.
  • ProRail confirmed a broken rail coil near Schiphol, limiting traffic to roughly 40% of normal and scheduling repairs overnight, leaving travelers facing delays throughout the day.
  • Separate Amsterdam fires left 120 Nieuw‑West apartments inaccessible with one death under investigation and rendered three Vrolikstraat homes uninhabitable as five residents were treated by ambulance staff.