Protest by email against the participation of the far-right GNSV in the Leiden information market for new students!

On Monday 11 August, the far-right group Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging (GNSV) will participate in the EL CID introduction week for new students with a stand. Last year, this led to controversy in the media and at the information market itself, and questions were also raised in the council. We, Leiden Against Fascism, find it reprehensible and dangerous that Leiden University has once again chosen to allow them to participate in the EL CID information market.

GNSV serves as a front for the fascist organisation Geuzenbond. Geuzenbond and GNSV are largely the same organisations. This has been confirmed by researc conducted by De Volkskrant and by researcher Willem Wagenaar of the Anne Frank Foundation. Geuzenbond is an annual guest at the IJzerwake, a right-wing extremist gathering in Flanders where fallen SS soldiers from the Second World War are also honoured. The GNSV serves as a socially acceptable front, giving these fascists access to platforms where they can recruit members for their project.

Original text in Dutch. Originele tekst in het Nederlands.

Furthermore, since March, the GNSV has formed the “Diets student cartel” together with the Flemish Nationalist Student Association (NSV). The NSV is known a right-wing extremist student organisation. It is under investigation for bringing a Hitler salute during a demonstration for the ‘etnic cleansing’ of Belgium, and is no longer recognised as a student organisation by KU Leuven. In 2014, the GNSV was recognisably present at an NSV demonstration, where Nazi slogans were chanted, such as “right-wing, social and national”, referring to National Socialism.

By welcoming the GNSV at a time when new students are getting to know the city and the university, Leiden University is sending a very clear message: the far-right is accepted here and the safety of marginalised students and staff does not matter. It is scandalous that Leiden University does not look beyond the purposefully established front organisation and disregards all its promises about inclusivity. The presence of the GNSV at the EL CID information market and the opportunity they are given to recruit members is a threat to many in the Leiden community, including people of colour, queer people, and Muslim and Jewish people. How are marginalised students meant to feel welcome on campus? We call on Leiden University to exclude the GNSV from the EL CID week.

Leiden Against Fascism calls on everyone to object to the participation of the GNSV at the EL CID information market on 11 August. Anyone who wishes to protest against the GNSV at the EL CID information market can send an email to the EL CID committee, the organiser of the information market (elcid@elcid.leidenuniv.nl), and to the rector magnificus of Leiden University, Hester Bijl (h.bijl@cvb.leidenuniv.nl). Leiden Against Fascism asks people who want to protest against the GNSV to make it clear in their emails that they object to the decision to welcome the GNSV.

Leiden Against Fascism