The organisers of Leiden University’s freshers week, know as El Cid, have given the green light to the participation of a far-right student group despite its reported extremist links.

The far right GNSV [Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging or greater Netherlands student association] says it supports a ‘conservative-national philosophy of life’ and ‘student traditions.’ The website also contains photos of members dressed up in military-style uniforms and hoisting steins full of beer.

But activists say it has links to neo-fascist organisation Geuzenbond and to Voorpost, an extremist group responsible for recent attacks on refugee shelters in Belgium. Its critics include researcher Willem Wagenaar from the Anne Frank Stichting and Leiden Tegen Fascisme [Leiden Against Fascism].

According to the LTF, GNSV members were spotted at an extreme right-wing event in Belgium and participated in a chant that included slogans used by the Nazis.
They’ve also appeared at right-wing events promoting remigration and have another branch in Nijmegen. Members were also involved in a brawl at a freshers week event at the city’s Radboud University in 2023.

The presence of the GNSV in Leiden comes at a time when the university has been criticised for not doing enough to fight anti-Semitism after comments by a member of staff in 2014 surfaced online. In 2020, the university also launched an investigation into links between its law faculty and the far-right party Forum voor Democratie.

“We are said to be doing too little about Jewish students who feel unsafe,” rector Hester Bijl said in an interview in January. “I think it’s terrible that students feel that way. For me, it is crystal clear that, as a university, we have to protect the safety of our students and staff at all times.”

The El Cid organisers declined to comment on the GNSV presence, but Leiden University spokesman Mischa van Vlier emphasised El Cid is not part of the university itself.

“The El Cid commission, which is of course separate from the university, strives to give a broad as possible view of what Leiden has to offer, he said. “Student life features social and political gatherings. When an organisation wants to participate in an El Cid event, they screen them and if there are doubts, they consult with the university.”

Van Vlier said the El Cid leaders did consult the university for their input.

“If a group wants to use text or statements that could incite hatred, violence, or racism, that would be a reason not to let them participate,” he said. “We found no sign that the GNSV wanted to do that during the El Cid Market, so we found no grounds to refuse them. They said the only thing they want to do is talk to people and present themselves.”

Police presence

Dutch News found the GNSV stall on Monday afternoon located across the street from the Leiden city hall. Two police officers were standing nearby while several members of the group talked among themselves.

Chairman Frank Dijk told Dutch News the police presence was ‘unfortunate.’

He said they host debate nights and freely admitted they’ve attended political events and want the Netherlands and the Flemish region of Belgium to reunite. He  criticised the current number of immigrants coming to the Netherlands and said the group believes people are ‘most happy’ in their own nations and communities.

He also praised Leiden University’s treatment of him and his colleagues.

“The university has so far been pretty accommodating,” he said. “There was one time when they refused to allow us a space when we first started out, but after that we haven’t really had any trouble.”