Riot police on Saturday cleared Amsterdam university’s Maagdenhuis, bringing to an end the occupation by students.

Nine people were arrested as the students demonstrated outside the building.

Amsterdam council, the police and the public prosecutor decided to take action after students ignored a court order on Friday which said they must leave the university building by midnight.

The students said they were sticking to their intention to leave on Monday and to hold a ‘festival of science’ over the weekend.

Demonstration

However, riot police arrived on Saturday morning, surrounded the students on the ground floor of the Maagdenhuis and forced them outside where they began a demonstration. The police then carried out a floor by floor search of the building.

The students have been occupying the Maagdenhuis building since February 25 as part of their campaign to increase democracy at the university and stop some courses being dropped because of spending cuts.