In a bold act of protest, pro-Palestinian activists vandalized the royal palace in Amsterdam, splashing red paint and scrawling "Intifada" on its walls, according to Spiegel Ausland. The group Palestine Action Amsterdam claimed responsibility for the incident, stating it was a message to the Dutch government regarding its support for Israel's actions in Gaza.
Large red splotches and the word "Intifada" in yellow paint are visible on a palace wall in the center of the Dutch capital. The action was intended as a message to the government, the group Palestine Action Amsterdam wrote on Instagram. The red paint stands as a symbol "for the blood of Palestinians flowing through the streets of Gaza." The activists accuse the Dutch government of supporting Israel in, among other things, "genocide" and "settler colonialism."
Pro palestinian activists vandalise royal palace ( paleis op de Dam) in Amsterdam, Netherlands
They used during the night red paint to vandalise the front and paint red triangles and with yellow paint they painted the word intifada.
Cleaning crews are cleaning the walls of… pic.twitter.com/ullJYuy0rW
— Brian BJ (@iamBrianBJ) July 29, 2024
The royal palace in Amsterdam is used only for ceremonial purposes. However, the choice of target for the paint attack was apparently not random. "This superfluous building symbolizes the colonial system of our nation-state," the activists stated.
The royal family was apparently not directly affected by the incident, as their residence is located in The Hague. This is not the first time pro-Palestinian demonstrators have defaced public buildings in Amsterdam. In November, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum were also vandalized.
According to the newspaper De Telegraaf, the building's administrator, the State Property Agency, responded firmly. "This is vandalism, and that is a criminal offense, so we are reporting it," a spokesperson said.
