What was your first reaction when you heard the demonstration was canceled? 

Rens Bod: I thought it was terrible and I was also angry! The difficult part is, that we didn’t know what the security risk was. But for us one thing was clear: we won't let ourselves be played apart and immediately planned a new date. 

Edith Hooge: It was very disappointing, because many students and colleagues were looking forward to protest in Utrecht. So were we as the Board. I was very pleased that an alternative demonstration against the budgetcuts came about at the UvA last Thursday: there were speeches and chants on various UvA campuses, a walk-out and a lot of support online.

Where were you on Nov. 14 and how did you experience the day? 

Edith Hooge: Boardmember Jan Lintsen and I were together with hundreds of people on Roeterseiland. An UvA colleague texted me: “It was beautiful, connecting and harmonious,” I couldn't agree more. 

Rens Bod: I was in Amsterdam. There was also a small delegation in The Hague in the Lower House, where our rector magnificus Peter Paul Verbeek was also present, but I chose to be with the people in Amsterdam.  I found it heartwarming to see that together we can make a mighty fist; teachers, students and our board. Not only in Amsterdam; there were a thousand demonstrators in Nijmegen and a few thousand in Utrecht. It was really hopeful. If all those people come together in The Hague next Monday it will be a very impressive demonstration. 

What do you expect from the next demonstration on Monday?  

Rens Bod: First of all I would like to call on everyone to come to The Hague: students, teachers and board. Protest! We can make a difference! We have to stop these extreme budgetcuts and more importantly, we cán. Because the government doesn’t have a majority in the Senate. The more people are present, the more pressure we can put on our politicians. 

And you're not just coming for yourself. These cuts lead to less research, for example in medicine. It is bad for our wellbeing and bad for the economy. We are not alone in this opinion, also the business community wrote a letter to the cabinet to stop this and many more statements of support have been issued. 

Edith Hooge: Very simple, these budgetcuts have to be taken off the table. Cabinet: Just don’t do it.