"The right to demonstrate is crucial to political engagement."
In conversation with Jacquelien van Stekelenburg Professor of Social Change and Conflict at VU Amsterdam
The right to demonstrate is crucial to political engagement. It is the only tool citizens have to influence politics between elections. Even people who do not have faith in politics, who have turned their backs on it, can also participate in this way.
Yet, it is being examined whether the right to demonstrate is under pressure. What is going on in protest-prone Netherlands? Professor of Social Change and Conflict Jacquelien van Stekelenburg brings us up to speed.
Three percent
“Only three percent of demonstrations involve incidents”, says Van Stekelenburg. “That figure has remained stable for years. But the number of demonstrations has skyrocketed, increasing by no less than 311% between 2017 and 2022. So, while the percentage hasn't changed, three percent of 6,000 demonstrations still means a significant rise in the absolute number of protests that get out of hand.”
Changed form
According to Van Stekelenburg, the sharp increase in the number of demonstrations is largely due to the rise of social media. “This makes it easier to organise protests and mobilise people. Videos contribute to this. George Floyd's “I can't breathe” went around the world and struck an emotional chord. The way protests are mobilised has fundamentally changed.”
“Where people once shouted insults, they now throw heavy fireworks.”
Democratic dance
If the percentage of demonstrations with incidents has been three percent for years, why do so many people feel things have become more heated? “To understand the dynamic, you have to look at all the actors involved”, says Van Stekelenburg. She calls it a democratic dance. “We have a populist-right (caretaker Ed. note) government that takes a more negative stance towards demonstrations than previous administrations. It seems that this attitude is seeping through to the public. In addition, there is an increase in violence by police officers, but also violence against them. Where people once shouted insults, they now throw heavy fireworks and violent incidents are more likely to be seen in the media. All these actors together have led to the current situation.”
Facilitation
Van Stekelenburg is often invited by the ‘triangle’ (mayor, police and public prosecutor) in cities such as Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and recently Velsen, to share her perspective on the developments. “The triangle is obligated to facilitate demonstrations. They want to do so as well. But with the rising number of demonstrations, the new ways they are being organised, and the counter-reactions they provoke, it is more often a challenge.”
“This is not just a legal issue."
Not just a legal or political issue
So, is the right to demonstrate under pressure? Van Stekelenburg is a member of the committee that is investigating on behalf of the WODC whether the right to protest still meets today's demands. Whether the law still gives the local authorities sufficient tools to facilitate and manage demonstrations, or whether the law needs to be revised.
Influence
It is in particular the first two questions where Van Stekelenburg's expertise as a social scientist comes into play. “Lawyers understand better than anyone the scope and impact of the law. But this is not just a legal issue. You cannot assess whether the right to protest is under pressure solely by investigating incidents involving police violence or the actions of authorities. You also have to talk to activists. The question of whether the right to demonstrate still offers sufficient tools requires research into all actors involved in this democratic dance. That is why it is so important that this issue is now part of the broader public and political debate – with attention to all involved.”
About Jacquelien van Stekelenburg
Professor of Social Change and Conflict Jacquelien van Stekelenburg (b. 1966) studied social psychology. Her research focuses mainly on protest participation and social polarisation. Since 2016, she has been programme leader of the SCC research team Participation in Society, the research programme of Sociology. She is also director of valorisation at the School of Social Sciences and founder, together with Prof. Ellen Giebels, of the Centre for Secure Societies.
magazine for social sciences and humanities alumni june 2025