Utrecht officials have canceled a planned protest against government budget cuts to higher education due to credible threats of violence from a pro-Palestinian group intending to disrupt the event. Mayor Dijksma informed the city council that safety could not be guaranteed for participants. The protest, organized by FNV and student unions, aimed to mobilize thousands against these cuts. Dijksma expressed concern over the implications of silencing dissent through intimidation, highlighting the importance of free expression in a democratic society.