Police have arrested a man suspected of being one of the “men in black” filmed smashing television screens in the university building at the Roeterseiland campus in Amsterdam during a pro-Palestine demonstration on Monday.

Officers who had cleared the university premises recognised the man, who was apprehended on Dam Square following the incidents which concluded an otherwise peaceful gathering.

The only information police released was that the man is 35-years-old, making it unlikely he is a student. The investigation into his identity and affiliation is ongoing and police are calling for people to send them video footage of the event.

The masked men in black entered the university shortly after a demonstration outside the university had ended. “The atmosphere changed immediately,” university board chairman Geert ten Dam told NOS.

Ten Dam said the group managed to penetrate the building up to the 6th floor, where the boardroom is situated, and that university workers fled in a panic as they approached.

Ten Dam said board members were not present on Monday but if they had they would have fled as well. “We cannot rule out the board being a target,” she told the NRC.

Amsterdam Encampment, one of the organisations behind the demonstrations, claimed it had no knowledge of the group’s affiliation either and was reluctant to comment, Amsterdam-based broadcaster AT5 said. “Because the damage to the university buildings is nothing compared to the bombed universities in Gaza,” a spokesman told the broadcaster.

Wie is de in het zwart geklede groep die een ravage aanrichtte op UvA? https://t.co/dWVzcf4H4Q

— AT5 (@AT5) May 15, 2024

Many of the protesters are in the dark about the identity of the group as well, AT5 found. Some said they think the group is opposed to the protests and is trying to disrupt them, while others supposed they were hooligans intent on doing as much damage as they could.

Men in black were also spotted during last week’s demonstrations attacking protestors and setting off fireworks.

The universities have published a new demo protocol saying they will not negotiate with masked protesters. A majority of MPs wants students to show ID on entering university premises to prevent the demonstrations from being hijacked by non-students, the Volkskrant reported.