A university branch of a right-wing Dutch student organisation has returned to its daily activities after being attacked by left-wing militants earlier this week. Members of the Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging (GNSV), a Dutch fraternity for students with “national feeling” were forced to defend themselves after being set upon by a large gang of ‘antifascists’ at an introduction week at Radboud University in the city of Nijmegen in southern Netherlands.
The attack occurred around 11 am on Monday, August 21st, while activists for the GNSV were setting up their booth in what the student fraternity believes was a premeditated attempt to intimidate them into leaving campus.
According to Daan Meershoek, a spokesman for the GNSV, the leftists waited until there was a limited number of right-wing activists present at the stand before assaulting them and trying to confiscate their leaflets, as well as striking one fraternity member on the head.
The left-wing attackers fled the scene as campus security arrived. Three of them were arrested by police shortly thereafter. After giving statements at the nearby police station, the GNSV returned to the booth for the rest of the day despite a non-violent demonstration of leftists protesting their presence.
Local media reports that two GNSV members were treated for head injuries with a 38-year-old man among the antifascists in custody with police.
Meershoek described how, following the attack, leftists contradicted themselves online, simultaneously defending the attack as being planned and blaming GNSV for starting the altercation. The right-wing student leader concluded that the events of the day would only redouble his fraternity’s efforts, stating
I am extremely proud of my friends who despite the attack managed to continue the day in good spirits. We as students will continue our efforts to ensure a future for the Dutch people in freedom and prosperity.
Founded in 2021, GNSV campaigns for the merger of the Netherlands and Flanders and operates a series of student-focused events. The organisation has recently expanded its operations to Nijmegen and Radboud University.
