The market square is filled with members of the WUR community. Photo Guy Ackermans Wageningen was on strike against the budget cuts in higher education this Monday. The day began with a walk-out, with speeches and slogans on the campus in front of Atlas. Next, the procession made its way to the city centre for a programme filled with music and speeches.
The organisation estimates that two thousand students and employees joined the protest march to the centre on Monday morning. A representative of the FNV union admits he had not expected this turnout after an action meeting at the start of March, which attracted some 30 people. The employees and students protest the budget cuts in higher education, which also affect WUR. The procession departs a little after eleven. After picking up reinforcements at the Leeuwenborch, it heads for the centre. More protestors join along the way.
The slogan ‘Don’t do it! Don’t do it!’ resounds, as does ‘Stop the cuts!’. Staff and students tote signs describing the research on which they are working and which may be threatened: “Energy from waste”, “Removing medicine residues from water”. Others hold up signs stating “No scientists, no food”, “Science saves lives”, and ‘Girl$ just wanna have funding”. Those having to leave the protest early hand their signs to bystanders.
Felling saplings
The market square in the city centre fills up rapidly. The strike in Wageningen is part of the national relay strike, which over 25,000 employees and students throughout the nation have joined. They fear that the budget cuts of over 1 billion euros will wreak havoc on higher education.
A group of employees of the Forest and Nature Management group of Van Hall Larenstein University College has also joined. They protested in Velp in the morning before heading to Wageningen. VHL-lector Peter van der Meer: ‘If you compare higher education to a forest, the government is currently felling saplings. As a result, the forest will decline and become very unhealthy in the long run.’
No sitting back
The protestors are treated to free fries and soda on the market. While WUR president Sjoukje Heimovaara and rector Carolien Kroeze addressed the protestors before their departure from the campus, the speeches are now delivered by mayor Floor Vermeulen and teacher of the year 2024 Hannie van der Honing. ‘I have never been on strike before, but this is where I draw the line. We can’t sit back and accept these cuts. I am happy to see so many students here today. Because you are trained to contribute to the challenges our planet faces. And, to do that, you need excellent education.’
Coordinator of Job Participation Support (Jops) Roos Funnekotter underscored the need for excellent education. ‘Cuts in higher education are an attack on the future and development of our society. Universities educate critical thinkers and creative minds, ensure international connections and ask questions when others look away. In a time where disinformation is on the rise and democratic values are eroding at a record speed on a global scale, we need more education, more research, more diversity and inclusion and, above all, more room for free thinking.’
Mayor Floor Vermeulen stated that Wageningen supports the protestors wholeheartedly. ‘Your efforts against the austerity measures are extremely valuable. We, as a municipality, fully support you. It is fantastic that you have all come.’ The protest ended at around half past one. But only after the organisation called on everyone to keep protesting. ‘We will continue until The Hague hears us.’
With Lieke Mulder/Gelderlander
