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Social media posts about “Generation Z” protests planned for Dutch cities this Saturday have caught the attention of police and local councils. However, student organisations say they are not involved and think the protests might mostly exist online.
What is being called for
In the past few days, anonymous accounts on TikTok, Telegram, and Snapchat have called on young people to protest in Dutch cities on Saturday, 31 October, using the name “Gen Z protests.” These calls are similar to recent unrest in France, and similar messages have also appeared in Belgium and Germany.
One thing that stands out is how vague these calls are. Some posters look like they were made by AI and copied for different cities, and they often give different dates and places. There is no clear organiser. In The Hague, the location changed from Malieveld to Amsterdam’s Dam Square, so it is not clear if any gatherings will really happen. Groups named in the calls, like a small socialist party in The Hague, have denied being involved and say their names were used without permission.
The student unions’ response
Groups usually involved in student protests say they are not behind this one. The national student union, LSVb, is telling students not to go. “There is no central organisation, no advance work has been done, and there is no one to safeguard safety. The arranging of it is chaotic. That is why we advise our supporters not to take part,” the union said. They also said they do not know how many people will show up, “but we do not expect it to be very big; we have the idea that it mainly exists online.”
This shows the main uncertainty: no one knows if these viral calls will lead to real crowds or just stay as social-media talk.
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A darker element, and the authorities’ stance
Some of the online activity is more serious. Besides unclear protest calls, some posts and private chat groups have included racist and homophobic comments, as well as open calls for violence, vandalism, and looting, sometimes mentioning recent events in France. Because of this, authorities are not ignoring the situation. Police are watching social media and talking with local governments. Some shops in city centres are taking precautions, and a few national chains have decided to close certain branches on Saturday as a precaution.
At the same time, police say they are keeping things in perspective. They are taking the calls seriously, but so far, there is no clear sign that large-scale riots will happen.
What to make of it
For residents, it makes sense to be careful but not alarmed. This situation shows how anonymous and possibly fake online calls can cause real worry, leading to more police and shop closures, even if there is no real movement behind them. Anyone in a city centre on Saturday might see more police and should avoid any gatherings, especially with talk of violence. Still, both student unions and police say that, so far, the issue is bigger online than in real life. Dutch Brief will provide updates if anything changes.