Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the Netherlands

In Zwolle, Mayor Peter Snijders announced he would not ban or relocate a pro-Palestinian demonstration scheduled for October 7, the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel. While acknowledging the sensitivity of the date, Snijders cited the fundamental principles of freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate, noting that current law limits his authority to intervene unless there is a specific threat to health, traffic, or public order.

Following such demonstrations, the Amsterdam Mayor, Femke Halsema, expressed shock and disgust after activists reportedly used slogans such as ‘Long live the 7th of October’ and displayed banners supporting Hamas. Although the protest was not initially prohibited because the expressions did not meet the legal threshold for incitement to criminal acts, police intervened after activists deviated from their route to confront cordons near Jewish sites, including the Jewish Museum. These incidents have prompted ongoing legislative discussions regarding new laws to criminalize the glorification of terrorism.

In a subsequent address regarding a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amsterdam, Mayor Halsema reiterated that while the expressions of support for Hamas were ‘shocking and distasteful,’ they were not deemed illegal under current incitement laws.