#Cameragate: November 2021 – February 2023
#Cameragate refers to the presence of smart cameras on Leiden University’s campus. The detailed chronology of their implementation and removal can be found on the Unsee Us webpage (up until 14 December 2021) and within Mare’s report (up until 13 February 2023).
Security Measures (beginning 2022)
21 March 2022: Shut down of panel discussion on Palestine at Wijnhaven building
Rector Hester Bijl issued a statement explaining the Executive Board’s decision on preventing “Apartheid in Israel’ panel discussion from happening at the Hague campus. The event could not take place due to non-compliance with university’s ‘house rules’. Specifically, the Rector emphasized the lack of reassurance regarding the moderator’s impartiality. Moreover, the Rector highlighted certain students’ objections to the event’s format and stressed the need to ensure the safety of all students during such a sensitive discussion. A further motive was that the lecturers responsible for reserving the room were not involved in the event itself.
Three days later, the Mare student paper reported on the incident. The panel discussion on Palestine was supposed to take place on 21st of March 2022, during Israel Apartheid Week, with two lecturers reserving the room at the request of Students for Palestine organization.
The request was further sent to the university’s Security Department, which issued that the event could not happen due to non- compliance with university’s ‘house rules’. The moderator, Dina Zbeidy, was deemed unable to be impartial due to the topic’s sensitive nature.
The Executive Board further proposed an alternative speaker, Professor Mark Rutgers, to moderate the discussion. However, the idea was rejected by the students due to the Professor’s lack of knowledge regarding the topic.
The following Monday, after the event’s cancellation, a protest was held in front of Wijnhaven. Security guards were present at the front entrance and LU card checks were being carried out.
Approximately a month later, the Students for Palestine organization refuted the Board’s claim that the event’s format did not comply with university’s ‘house rules’. Read their response here.
Mare also reported on further criticism regarding the Chief Security Officer Leo Harskamp. The criticism arose after the Chief Officer’s responded to a lecturer responsible for reserving the room, defending Israeli’s military. When asked whether the Chief personal views affected the decision on the panel discussion, Spokesperson Caroline van Overbeeke states that decision was not made by one person and affirms her confidence in the Chief’s impartiality.
26 June 2023: Panel discussion on Palestine, Namibia and South Africa cancelled
Mare reported that a panel discussion planned by Students for Palestine, the Afro Student Association and the BASIS Africa Committee was cancelled due to disputes between the organizers and the university’s Security Department. The discussion was supposed to take place in the Wijnhaven building of the Hague campus.
Tensions between the Security Department and event organizers arose when the organizers reserved a room through the Diversity Office. This was deemed as a an impediment for requesting further clarification about the event, and last security arrangements had to be made.
The Security Department made additional demands for the event: a list of moderators, speakers and attendees had to provided and the event to be relocated in the Schouwburgstraat building. No further justification was given for such demands. Therefore, the organizers decided to not hold the event anymore.
13-15 October 2023: Closure of Wijnhaven due to an ‘increased security risk’
The university provides no information on the reason of the closure. The Dean of the Humanities Faculty claims undisclosed “signals made it necessary and sensible to close the building” (reported by Mare). University states “police investigations show” the threat has passed.
16 October 2023: Wijnhaven reopens, LU card checks implemented at this location
Mare reporting reveals that 3 out of 10 buildings visited have implemented access checks: the old library building, the KOB, and Wijnhaven. Most other buildings have a sign at the entrance which reads ‘You may be asked to show your LU-Card today. No access without a valid LU-Card’. A receptionist at Lipsius reveals that random spot checks are carried out at these locations.
20 October 2023: Security guards unexpectedly show up at Beehive in the Hague to record the names of all visitors, just as EndFossil is organizing a meeting on the building’s third floor (as reported by Mare)
The meeting is preparation for a prospective action by EndFossil: the occupation of Lipsius a month later. In the end, security guards do not come up to the meeting room of the action group.
9 November 2023: SfP organized teach-in takes place at Wijnhaven, at the top of the Spanish Steps
The university publishes a statement strongly condemning the peaceful demonstration because it was not notified in advance, therefore breaking the university’s regulations on events and demonstrations. They state that “the character of the demonstration caused other students and staff to feel extremely unsafe”. The following week, as a result of ‘recent developments’, the university publishes a document providing further specifications on requesting and holding events.
Two days after the teach-in, Mare publishes “How a pro-Palestine protest turned into a chase“, revealing inappropriate action by Wijnhaven security guard during and following the SfP teach-in. The demonstration begins with pushing of students by security, who try to take away the speaker’s megaphone. After a few minutes, the demonstration is allowed to continue, cops, security and university staff present to film the speakers and crowd. After the teach-in ends, speakers and demonstrators are stopped at the entrance and identified by security and police. Two security guards follow two speakers off university grounds and into a clothes’ shop, refuse to speak or reveal their motives.
23 November 2023: Lipsius occupation by EndFossil (as reported by Mare)
Demonstrators occupy two classrooms at the Lipsius building in Leiden. The occupiers are informed they must evacuate by 17:00, when all university buildings will be closed early, as announced by the university through a live blog. Though this decision inconvenienced all LU students and staff, the university claims they acted on advice by law enforcement. The nature and details of this advice could not be revealed, due to safety concerns. At 17:35 the university ‘hands over the premises to the police’. The building is cleared by police by 18:00. One student’s glasses are broken in the process.
20 December 2023: COT Institute halts investigation on the events of October 9th
The decision is justified by a lack of cooperation, making it impossible for the COT to gather the necessary information. The University Council previously criticized the COT for potentially lacking independence. “The institute, founded by FGGA dean Erwin Muller, is currently collaborating with the university in the field of crisis management” (reporting by Mare).
12 April 2024: A petition is launched by a group of student against the increasing and invasive security measures adopted by Leiden University
The students demand:
- An end of current measures, including a timeline of this process.
- Keeping university buildings as publicly available as possible.
- Concrete work on rebuilding trust and committing to transparency through engaging in dialogue with the university community.
15 April 2024: Panel discussion on the Securitization of Leiden University
The room is filled by students and staff fed up with the unexplained security measures at Wijnhaven. The petition against securitization is presented before the discussion begins.
Mare reports on students and staff relating their experiences with university security. Members of EndFossil have had their IDs checked and photographed, and their bags checked as well. They claim the Security Department monitors the action group, causing fear to its members. Members of SfP also recall past incidents with security. They criticize the university’s attitude towards their events, which are always deemed as too sensitive or political. Other audience members voice their concerns: “I feel like I’m at an airport where I could be singled out and examined from top to bottom.”
8 May 2024: Leiden University General Student and Staff Assembly (organized by Students for Palestine)
The presence of a police van was noticed at the entrance of the Wijhaven building before the start of the General Assembly.
OpenLeiden officially introduced itself as a student movement, during the General Assembly, presenting their goals, demands, petition and Instagram page.
16 May 2024: Occupation of Wijnhaven building
During the occupation of Wijnhaven building to protest the university’s ties to Israeli institutions, Mare reported on the presence of riot police officers on campus. The police officers were called in by the university administration to vacate the building.
On 17 May 2024, Leiden University publishes a timeline of some security measures since 7th of October and the closing of the Wijnhave building on 13th-15th of October.
A House rules for protest at Leiden University is issued, based on the guidelines for protests provided by the Universities of the Netherlands.
27 May 2024: Meeting between the University Council and the Executive Board
During the meeting, Mare reported that the Students’ Collective raised the issue of a ‘blacklist’. A ‘blacklist’ would include individuals or groups that would not be allowed to organize events without the permission from the Security Department.
The Executive Board denied the existence of a ‘blacklist’. However, they stated that the service desk is provided with guidelines for evaluating events.
The Executive Board affirmed that external participants must be registered prior to an event. Their details will be subsequently checked at the entrance of an university building. Such a requirement has been implemented to assure the safety of staff and students during events. These guidelines are provided through existing ‘house rules’.
24 AUGUST 2024: NEWS ARTICLE CONFIRMS THE PRESENCE OF UNDERCOVER OBSERVERS ON THE LEIDEN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
The Dutch news portal AD.nl published an article revealing that Leiden University has employed undercover observers on its campus through an external agency. According to the university, this measure was implemented in response to pressure from the government and the municipality of The Hague. The primary role of these undercover observers is to monitor and report on individuals who are not affiliated with the university.
However, AD.nl indicated that Leiden University students are monitored by these undercover observers who photograph, listen to, and inspect their bags without consent. Students of color have been a primary target of this surveillance.
The Haagse Stadpartij has questioned the Hague municipality about the lack of transparency regarding the government agencies involved, the handling of collected student data, and the duration of this surveillance. The full written questions are available here and on their Instagram post.