By Sara Ansari | Culture | June 6, 2026
Cover Illustration: Poster display on window in Amsterdam, June 2026. Sara Ansari / The Amsterdammer
Displayed in windows across the city, protest posters have transformed Amsterdam’s streets into a gallery of everyday political activism.
“Peace Now”, “Wij Eisen de Nacht Op” (We Demand the Night) and “Samenleven” (Living Together) can be found on almost every street corner in Amsterdam. A poster that hangs in the frames of people’s windows. These colorful posters seem even more prevalent than the screaming protesters on Dam Square. In an increasingly radical political debate, where hatred and division dominate the front page, the politics of window posters remain silently but consistently present in everyday city life.
“Peace Now”
One of the most memorable designs of recent years is the “Peace Now” poster. For several years now, this poster has been a permanent fixture in the cityscape of the Randstad. The black-and-white image of a dove of peace was conceived by Marije Lieuwens. When she participated in a march against Israeli violence in Gaza in November 2023, she developed a desire for an overarching image of peace. An image that calls for peace and pacifism in every context: in the war between Russia and Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, and every other form of violence in the current world order.
It was important to Lieuwens that this image would not contribute to the already prevailing polarizing trend.It is often much more difficult for people to identify with a specific protest ideal than with a general call for peace. After all, who does not want peace? To distinguish herself from the red-green Palestinian flag, the watermelon, or the Ukrainian blue-yellow, she decided to keep the poster ‘neutral’. A universal image that everyone, even those less politically involved, feels drawn to in chaotic times.
She asked artist Max Kisman, who worked at the same creative center as her, to develop the idea further. He designed the peace dove on the poster and came up with the idea not to draw the olive (peace) branch inside the dove’s beak, but to have it grow from the “W”. Because peace must be preserved in order to continue flourishing in the present. With a simple, black-and-white but clear poster as the end result, she created a timeless symbol of peace that adorns the streets as part of a pacifist counter-movement.
“Wij Eisen de Nacht Op”
On the night of August 20, 17-year-old Lisa, from Abcoude was attacked and killed while cycling home alone from Leidseplein after a night out. During the attack, she called the police, but they did not arrive in time. She was killed on the street by a stranger, with a small red handbag still on her handlebars.
The killing triggered grief, fear and intense anger. Why can’t girls in an apparently “emancipated” and “modern” country like the Netherlands cycle home safely at night? And why are such crimes, committed by men, always dismissed as the victim’s fault? Questions like ‘what was she wearing?’, ‘why was she still outside alone so late?’, and ‘why didn’t she take a taxi?’ only shifted the blame.
This anger was highlighted in an Instagram post by artist and opinion maker Nienke Gravemade. In a compelling text, she articulated the anger that many other feminists shared with her:
Inspired by these poignant words and a collective sense of injustice, campaign strategist Danique de Jong launched the “We Demand the Night” movement. The explosive campaign spread rapidly through the city. Street signs across the city turned cobalt blue with striking yellow text: “We Demand the Night; let women come home safely.” It was not a question, but a command. A statement.
The successful campaign resulted in a foundation that raised more than 500,000 euros. This money is subsequently reinvested in organizations that are committed to the safety of women in various ways. In addition to money, this campaign also attracted enormous media attention. The term “femicide” entered broader public discussion even in politics. It inspired various protest actions, such as a demonstration at the Malieveld and a nighttime bicycle protest by thousands of members of Dolle Mina.
And the poster, which serves as an all-encompassing image of the movement, hangs proudly in the windows of those who are fed up with the street harassment of women. Those who are reclaiming their own street for the woman who cycles through it at night. A silent but powerful signal that acts as a beacon of light in the darkness.
“Samenleven”
A poster that has recently appeared in windows calls for community building between people of all backgrounds. A purple hand and a white hand form a red heart together. The text “Living Together” surrounds the image in bold black letters. It is a campaign by VluchtelingenWerk, launched in response to the increasingly violent protests against asylum centers, creating an emotionally and sometimes even physically unsafe environment for refugees.
At a time when non-Western refugees in particular are portrayed in the media and politics as ‘the other’, this movement appeals to humanity instead. It is a poster for the silent majority, which sometimes seems to pale in comparison to the callousness of rioters and those spreading anti-refugee sentiment. The slogan is about listening to others and, above all, not pigeonholing or dehumanizing them.
An excerpt of the manifesto of the movement introduced by VluchtelingenWerk describes their motivation very well:
Not only in the Randstad, but also in villages and cities where xenophobic thinking often prevails, the poster serves as a peaceful counter-voice. A small gesture against posters, flags, and stickers against asylum seekers. Something that makes refugees feel welcome instead of unsafe. By May 2026, more than 31,000 posters had been requested. “We are the majority” is the prevailing sentiment. Most people do not want solidarity based on hatred; they want to live together.
Studying these three protest posters made me realize in which ways they contrast. The neutral “Peace Now” poster differs sharply from the more confrontational “We Demand the Night” campaign. They both ask for a different kind of attention while usually being displayed in the same windows. .
It might seem small. A poster. While taping a freshly printed paper dove of peace on my bedroom window I wonder what I think I’m achieving by doing this. Surely world peace will not result from attaching this aesthetically designed bird to my window. Isn’t it even a bit performative? Preaching freedom from the safety of my warm home?
When walking home at night, I see my neighbour’s window, filled with hanging plants and vibrant flyers, posters, in the name of peace and love, it reminds me that visions of a righteous world don’t have to be unrealistic or naive. Back home, my own poster is still hanging there. That’s all it has to do.
Sara Ansari is a university student in Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer.
