Kurdish Protests in The Hague Highlight Syria Violence and EU Funding Concerns

The Hague – The political heart of the Netherlands turned into a sea of flags and fury late Monday night. Hundreds of Kurdish protesters descended upon the Bezuidenhoutseweg, right outside the temporary Dutch parliament building, to condemn escalating violence in northern Syria and demand accountability from European leaders.

The demonstration, which lasted well into the night, was not just a show of solidarity; it was a direct accusation. Protesters claim that the European Union is inadvertently funding the very groups responsible for recent atrocities against the Kurdish population, citing a staggering €620 million in aid packages. With a fragile ceasefire crumbling and diplomatic meetings in Berlin cancelled, the ripples of the Syrian conflict are crashing hard onto Dutch shores.

Table of Contents

• Night of Rage: Flags, Riot Police, and Demands
• The €620 Million Question: Is the EU Funding Terror?
• The Merz Effect: Diplomatic Fallout in Berlin
• The Backdrop: A Fragile Peace Shattered
• The Western Dilemma: Allies or Liabilities?
• Key Takeaways
• Dutch Learning Corner
• Community CTA

Night of Rage: Flags, Riot Police, and Demands

For several hours, the usually quiet diplomatic quarter of The Hague was filled with chants of “Terrorist Erdogan” and “EU, Wake Up.”

The Scene:
Riot police were strategically positioned around the Binnenhof complex, maintaining a watchful but passive role. The atmosphere was tense but remained largely peaceful. The demonstrators, waving the red, green, and yellow colors of the Kurdish flag, demanded to speak with Dutch officials.

The Goal:
They specifically requested an audience with Martin Bosma (Chair of the Parliament) or Jan van Zanen (Mayor of The Hague).

“We are not just here to shout,” said one organizer. “We want the Dutch government to explain why their tax money is buying bullets that kill our families.”
Ultimately, the crowd dispersed after midnight without securing a face-to-face meeting, but the message had been delivered loudly.

The €620 Million Question: Is the EU Funding Terror?

The central theme of the protest was highly specific: Money.

Banners displayed at the protest explicitly referenced €620 million in EU financial support designated for the Syrian interim government.

The Protesters’ Argument:
1. The Recipient: The current Syrian interim government (led by Ahmed al-Sharaa post-Assad) is comprised largely of former Islamist rebel factions.
2. The Reality: Protesters argue these factions have a history of hostility towards secular Kurdish groups.
3. The Link: By sending millions for “stabilization and reconstruction,” the EU is effectively bankrolling the military operations currently targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF).

This accusation places the Netherlands and the EU in a moral vice grip: How to support Syrian state-building without empowering potential oppressors?

The Merz Effect: Diplomatic Fallout in Berlin

The timing of the protests is critical. It coincides with a diplomatic meltdown in neighboring Germany.

Just hours before the protest in The Hague, a high-stakes meeting scheduled in Berlin between Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was abruptly cancelled.

Why it matters:
Chancellor Merz, who took office in mid-2025, has been pushing for a pragmatic approach to stabilize Syria to prevent new refugee waves. The cancellation of this meeting signals that the security situation on the ground has deteriorated so badly that even diplomatic protocols are collapsing. The violence in Kurdish regions has made “business as usual” impossible for European leaders.

The Backdrop: A Fragile Peace Shattered

To understand the anger in The Hague, one must look at the map of Syria.

Since the collapse of the Assad regime in November 2023, the region has been in a state of flux. The Kurds, who established de facto self-governance in the north (Rojava) during the civil war, are now squeezed between two hostile forces:
1. Turkey: Which views Kurdish forces as an extension of the PKK insurgency.
2. The New Syrian Government: Which wants to centralize power and regain control of the oil-rich north.

A ceasefire brokered two weeks ago was supposed to bring calm. Instead, fresh clashes have erupted, with reports of heavy shelling on civilian areas, sparking the diaspora’s mobilization across Europe.

The Western Dilemma: Allies or Liabilities?

Geopolitical analysts point out the tragic irony of the situation.

The SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) was the West’s primary ally in the fight against ISIS. They lost thousands of fighters clearing the Caliphate, backed by US and European air power.

“The Kurds feel betrayed,” explains a Middle East expert. “They did the heavy lifting against ISIS for the world. Now that ISIS is gone and Assad is gone, they feel the West is sacrificing them to maintain good relations with Turkey and the new Syrian leadership.”

The Netherlands, home to a significant Kurdish community, is often the stage for these grievances because of its status as the “City of Peace and Justice.” Protesters view silence from The Hague as complicity.

Key Takeaways

• The Event: Hundreds protested at the Dutch Parliament against violence in Syria.
• The Claim: Protesters allege €620M in EU aid is funding anti-Kurdish attacks.
• The Context: A ceasefire has collapsed, and diplomatic talks with Chancellor Merz failed.
• The Demand: An immediate halt to EU funding and protection for Kurdish regions.

Dutch Learning Corner

Source / Politics: Politie Den Haag & Tweede Kamer (Parliamentary Reports).