The planned demonstration against the devastating budget cuts in higher education has been canceled. If the demonstration had not been canceled, it would have been prohibited. Promovendi Netwerk Nederland (PNN) is enraged that we do not get to speak out against the budget cuts, and that our right to demonstrate is not guaranteed. The right to demonstrate is essential to democratic societies, and this should not be taken lightly.
Diverse perspectives are the cornerstone of academia and democracy. We cannot allow that academia is silenced. However, the safety of demonstrators must always come first. With concerns about the safety of those planning to attend, we strongly urge you not to travel to Utrecht tomorrow.
Instead, the coalition of organizers, including PNN, is actively working on alternative ways to make our voices heard.
The reason for the demonstration remains urgent and unchanged: massive budget cuts threaten to devastate academia. These cuts will especially hit early career researchers, dismantling opportunities, worsening work pressure, and increasing the prevalence of precarious temporary contracts—if positions are available at all. Without action, the university as we know it may disappear.
We must continue our protest. Follow us on social media and through our website as we organize alternatives to ensure our message is not lost. Together, we will stand against these cuts and fight for the future of academia.
