Vindicat Member Strangles First-Year Student Until He Faints, Receives Punishment and Goes to Court
A senior member of student association Vindicat faces a 22.5-month suspension after choking a first-year until unconscious—he now disputes the punishment ahead of the club’s summer Lustrum.
A suspended member of student association Vindicat atque Polit, accused of strangling a first-year student until he lost consciousness, is challenging his nearly two-year internal suspension in court. The incident, which occurred in October 2024, took place during a night at the Vindicat clubhouse on the Grote Markt in Groningen.
Serious Incident in Clubhouse Toilets
According to Dagblad van het Noorden, the altercation began with a verbal dispute between several members in the toilets of the clubhouse. The situation escalated when a senior member applied a neck hold—placing the inside of his elbow around the throat of the first-year—causing him to fall, lose consciousness multiple times, and hyperventilate. The senior fled the scene shortly after.
Bystanders described the event as terrifying. “It looked like the boy was being strangled and was fighting for his life,” said Vindicat’s lawyer in court. Although the physical injuries were minor, the emotional consequences were significant. The victim reportedly suffered a panic attack days later.
22.5-Month Suspension Contested
The accused student, previously suspended for four months over another violent incident, received a 22.5-month suspension. He now contests the punishment, hoping to reduce it in time to attend Vindicat’s upcoming 210th anniversary celebration this summer.
Vindicat’s legal representative emphasized the association’s efforts to address a history of misconduct through structural reforms. Since 2017, Vindicat has introduced a new internal legal framework aimed at independently assessing such incidents.
Another member involved in the October incident received a three-month suspension.
Wider Cultural Issues and Tyr Controversy
The student in question is also affiliated with Tyr, a sub-association of Vindicat recently in the spotlight after a separate scandal. A member of Tyr reportedly burned first-year students with a heated object, leaving ten students with burns. Vindicat has since cut all ties with Tyr.
“Vindicat has had its share of incidents, as we all know. These kinds of excesses show we are not yet where we want to be as an association,” said the association’s lawyer. “That’s why we take strong action.”
Concerns About Internal Justice System
The suspended student claims the internal disciplinary process lacked impartiality. His lawyer questioned whether confidential counselors and other members of the disciplinary committee can truly operate independently in such a tight-knit community. “My client did not get a fair trial,” the lawyer argued. Vindicat’s chair Wibe Kaak, present at the hearing, defended the association’s system: “We have done our best to put together a sound legal framework. It's unfortunate we’re in court now because someone is contesting a suspension for serious violence.”
The court’s ruling is expected on June 11.