Cabinet allocates funds to support Jewish students and staff; TU says it is already following most of the recommendations

Antisemitism in the Netherlands is on the rise, according to a report (in Dutch) published on 2 February by the Taskforce on Combating Antisemitism, which examined safety in higher education and at train stations following October 2023. “Jews have been feeling increasingly unsafe in our society in recent years”, the authors wrote. On university campuses, this is said to be due to protests against the genocide in Gaza. Far-right groups are not mentioned.

The taskforce, which interviewed more than 120 people, describes slogans such as ‘Get rid of Zionist Scum’ or ‘Zionists not welcome here’ as ‘code words’ for antisemitism. ‘There is a perception that some of the sympathisers unconsciously adopt veiled antisemitic rhetoric, without realising the impact this has on Jews,’ she writes in the report.

However, critics of the report argue that the slogans mentioned above are not antisemitic. In their view, Zionism is a political ideology distinct from Judaism. To suggest that the two are one and the same would, in fact, be antisemitic.

Consequences

Some students hide or deny that they are Jewish, the taskforce reports. A few no longer come to campus or have dropped out of their studies. Some employees also remain silent, for example if they are on a temporary contract and fear losing their jobs if they speak out.

A Jewish TU Delft student and an employee (who remain anonymous for security reasons, though their names are known to the editors) who spoke to Delta can relate to this. “I’m very careful about who I tell that I’m Jewish,” says the student. “Being Jewish is now a part of your identity that is up for debate,” adds the staff member. “Are you a Jew who condemns, or not? It feels like a kind of social test.”

The Ministry of Education is therefore asking educational institutions to actively support Jewish students and staff and ‘to take action against individuals or circumstances that create an unsafe working and learning environment’.

‘There must be room for different perspectives, even if they clash’

TU Delft has stated that the safety of students and staff remains a top priority. The university affirms that antisemitism is unacceptable and states that the recommendations in the report largely align with existing measures. According to a spokesperson, reports of safety concerns are actively followed up, and during demonstrations, additional measures are taken where necessary, such as deploying security staff or making organisational adjustments.

At the same time, the university emphasises that there must be room for different perspectives, even if they clash. However, there is a clear limit: demonstrations and gatherings must remain peaceful. There is no place on campus for hatred, intimidation, violence or vandalism.

Working more closely with the municipality

Most of the taskforce’s recommendations are aimed at universities and universities of applied sciences. However, there is also room for improvement in the coordination between educational institutions and the local security triad: the mayor, the police and the Public Prosecution Office (OM).

The taskforce is therefore calling on mayors to work more closely with universities when demonstrations take place on campus. In doing so, mayors must take a stand not only in legal terms but also in administrative and moral terms.

In recent years, the TU campus has been the scene of pro-Palestinian protests on several occasions. For instance, at the end of March, around a hundred people protested on campus against the TU’s collaboration with Israeli academic institutions. And in early December 2025, the roof of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was occupied for an entire afternoon for the same reason.

The municipality of Delft emphasises that both it and the TU Delft have their own respective responsibilities regarding demonstrations. There is already regular contact between the two parties. This was stated by the mayor and aldermen in mid-March in their responses to written questions from the CDA, a political party on the municipal council. “These contacts have not indicated that TU Delft requires any additional assistance or involvement,” the council states.

‘TU Delft does not impose any additional substantive restrictions on demonstrations or gatherings organised by external parties’

The Public Assemblies Act (WOM) sets out what is and is not permitted during a demonstration. “The mayor bases his decisions on this.” Under this Act, rules may only be imposed during demonstrations to protect public health and public order. Setting moral limits on the content of a demonstration does not fall under this and is not something the city council is keen on. “The council considers this undesirable because it concerns the exercise of a fundamental right.”

TU Delft also states that it does not impose any additional substantive restrictions on demonstrations or gatherings organised by external parties. “Gatherings held within the university must take place within the framework of the house rules, the code of conduct and the law, whilst allowing for academic freedom and freedom of expression.”

HOP, Bas Belleman, Naomi Bergshoeff / Delta