The past few days have been exiting in the Netyerlands because suddenly the pupils of almost all (high)schools in the Netherlands walked out into the streets and started to create a big mess.
In Amsterdam riotcops on horses chased 13-year old kids over the Museumplein and applied the watercanon on them. 250 kids were arrested (in the whole of Holland). At many places small riots broke out, kids pelted buildings with egs and stones. One of the buildings attacked was that of the main media centre in Hilversum and that of the parliament in The Hague.
In Amsterdam riotcops on horses chased 13-year old kids over the Museumplein and applied the watercanon on them. 250 kids were arrested (in the whole of Holland). At many places small riots broke out, kids pelted buildings with egs and stones. One of the buildings attacked was that of the main media centre in Hilversum and that of the parliament in The Hague.
The official reason for the pupils´ protest is a new law the governement wants to install, forcing kids to stay longer in school eaven when there are no teachers available. But there is much more, education is becomming more and more boring and kids have less and less to say about it.
Last Friday there were schoolstrikes in the whole country, many kids went into the streats and were sometimes beaten by the cops.
This monday the strikes went further even though the official coopted pupilorganisation LAKS called out NOT to demonstrate. Everywhere there were kids in the streets with their main weapon: egs (ok and fireworks).
In Amsterdam riotcops on horses chased 13-year old kids over the Museumplein and applied the watercanon on them. 250 kids were arrested (in the whole of Holland). At many places small riots broke out, kids pelted buildings with egs and stones. One of the buildings attacked was that of the main media centre in Hilversum and that of the parliament in The Hague
The kids are being severely insulted by most media and all politicians, who say everywhere that they only want to riot and do not know what they are talking about. There is heavy pressure on the schools too to discipline their pupils (they want to fine schools whose pupils are faound at actions and strikes).
The governement policy was, with the embedded pupil-organisation LAKS– to first have a debate in parliament. This debate was held wednesdya-evening, nothing came out and now Friday will be strike again.
They are trying to lure the kids onto the Museumplein in Amsterdam, which will be totally sealed off and only accessible for pupils who sign a pamflet first!. Of course many won't do this.
On indymedia-Netherlands you can find some coverage, but all in Dutch. Here (if you scroll down) you can find some pictures of Monday:
http://indymedia.nl/nl/2007/11/48599.shtml Here is a funny film in English:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeCr5j-fZ1M Of course there's tons more on youtube
And this is an amazing little film (in Dutch) especially at the end, you see a very corageaus attempt to de-arrest one arrested kid (the squaters can learn something from these 13 year old!):
http://www.vk.tv/video/16117/scholierenprotest-draait-uit-op-rellen.html Of course it would be nice if people outside Holland want to show solidarity or tell some dutch institution you disagree with beating up kids!
Meantime some solidaric parents will try to help pupils selforganise into autonomous groups
