Doe het niet! Maastricht’s Anti-Budget Cut Protest Turnout

Decked out in ponchos with umbrellas and anti-budget cut signs, a congregation of students, tutors, professors, and concerned citizens gathered on het Vrijthof. The abysmal weather confirms the support of those present and has likely scared off those not interested in a protest. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was lively and amicable amongst the roughly 1500 people that showed up. Trade unions handed out caps, flags, slogans and flyers. The busiest stand was the municipality’s free french fries. A large stage facing the Foto Museum is host to music and various persons offering speeches. To accommodate all those present at Maastricht University, the speeches were given in Dutch, English and Limburg’s dialect. Those who cannot understand are unaffected–they stamp and clap when those who understand stamp and clamp.

Maastricht is one of many regions protesting the Dutch government's recent announcement of €1.1 billion in budget cuts to higher education. Maastricht University, known as the most international university in the Netherlands, is especially affected—not only by the cuts themselves but also by the government's plan to limit the number of international students allowed into the country. With around 21,000 students enrolled—roughly half of them international—this policy could have serious consequences. Reducing the student population by even 10% would significantly impact not just the university, but the city of Maastricht as a whole.

The protesters repeat the chants by those on stage back with enthusiasm. “Doe het niet!” is stomped into the ground and underscored with whistles and drums. People are encouraged to join a trade union. Power in numbers and all that. Representatives of the trade unions and organisers of the protest that march through Maastricht are convinced and concerned about these budget cuts representing the first domino to fall in a long line of anti-higher institutional sentiment. The US presents a looming example of the consequences of defunding higher education. Trump and his cabinet have also been defunding higher institutions and cutting subsidies to universities.

As the march from het Vrijthof departs through the city, making noise and waving flags, passersby watch on with curiosity at the colourful bunch in waterproof clothing. “Hey-yo kabinet! Jullie vragen ons verzet!” (“Hey-yo cabinet! You’re asking us to protest!”) Chants and decrees are etched out in chalk around the city and in front of the Inner City Library. In addition, university professors went to primary and secondary schools to introduce students to the concept of university and what higher education can do for them. With the budget cuts, there is concern that higher education will only be open to those from a higher social class, which would both increase the inequality gap and polarisation within society. Concern is mentioned about the long-term. Cutting things out of educational programmes will be felt years from now–when research is lacking in those underfunded areas. In the short-term the effect is much more abrupt: less professor, fewer tutors and a narrower curriculum.

The protest will move to Eindhoven next, and then on to finishing in Delft. Maastricht made a decent amount of noise—the energy and conviction were definitely there. Defunding higher education will have dramatic consequences for both research and tuition fees, and these are consequences we simply cannot accept. As a full-time bachelor’s student juggling exams, a thesis, and homework assignments, it feels absurd to have to fight just to be heard—just to protect the system I'm working hard to succeed in. I hope the noise we made in Maastricht travels north far and loud enough to reach the Second Chamber.

Author: Emma Godfried

Photographer: Ella Leffler