Diverse coalition of youths, pacifists and critics gathers on Amsterdam's Dam for peace protest
A varied group of demonstrators assembled on the Dam in Amsterdam to call for peace and criticize what they describe as a growing war fervor in the Netherlands.
On a Sunday afternoon, a heterogeneous crowd gathered on Amsterdam's Dam, displaying peace doves, flags of Iran, Palestine, the Soviet Union and the Confederate States, alongside Che Guevara imagery and antifascist banners. Organized by the Nieuwe Vredesbeweging, the youth union FNV Young & United and the Landelijke Studentenvakbond, the demonstrators demanded an end to what they call a "war fever" gripping the country.
They criticized large defence budgets, the acceleration of military rebuilding, and the portrayal of militarisation as inevitable, arguing it threatens social welfare, education and healthcare. Participants presented varied perspectives on the Ukraine war, with some accusing the EU and NATO of provocation, while others called for diplomatic solutions and condemned Russian aggression. Speakers such as former De Andere Krant editor Karel Beckman and AFVN chairman Sjoerd de Groot voiced skepticism about Western narratives, and students highlighted concerns over the new Defence Readiness Act's data-collection powers. The protest aimed to amplify peace voices amid a polarized public debate.
Why it matters
The demonstration reflects growing domestic opposition to militarisation and defence spending in the Netherlands.
In this story
