Student - February 6, 2012

LSVb announces protest week

There is to be a week of protests against State Secretary Zijlstra’s plans. From 19 to 23 March, the national students’ union LSVb and its member unions are organizing a range of activities. If it is a success, it may be followed by a national demonstration.

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'We have noticed recently that students are increasingly prepared to get involved in campaigning', says LSVb chair Pascal ten Have. 'It's not just a question of the loss of the basic grant for  Master's degree, but also of cutting back on rights to free public transport and cutbacks on the supplementary grant. It is a big shock for students that all these measures are being introduced at the same time. It also means they lose the overview of exactly what the plans are going to mean for them.'

The LSVb will help local branches run campaigns in numerous cities. One initiative is a plan to send state secretary Zilstra and members of parliament as many letters as possible about the problems that the planned measures will cause. The exact plans for the campaign week are still to be drawn up, says Ten Have.

For the time being, the students are not setting off as they did last January for the Malieveld in The Hague, the traditional scene of mass demonstrations. They may do so in April though, when parliament votes on the proposed bill entitled 'Studying is an investment'.

Sebastiaan Hameleers of the Intercity student council ISO, says he supports the LSVb's campaigns. 'We are going to do something with our members too, but we'll let you know where and when it will happen.'