Dutch police have arrested several thousand climate activists in the latest protest against the government’s pledge to support fossil fuel industries. Despite police warnings, over 10,000 citizens from climate activism groups (such as Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion) blocked the A12 highway into The Hague during a fiveday protest last month. An Extinction Rebellion representative reported over 3000 arrests made by the police by September 14th, alongside water cannons being used in an attempt to disperse peaceful protesters.
Extinction Rebellion members have led protests with varying success outside of The Hague, a major Netherlands city that is home to the Dutch Government and United Nations courts, since October 2021. The movement has demanded an end to the government’s ongoing support for large users of fossil fuels, providing tax breaks and other subsidiaries totalling approximately €37.5 billion per year.
The A12 highway was chosen as a suitable protest location due to the road’s connections with the Dutch House of Representatives and the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy, both situated in The Hague. Extinction Rebellion’s favoured protest spot is the Utrechtsebaan, which is designated a part of the A12 but is not considered a highway. As such, it is managed by the local authority and does not adhere to road traffic regulations outlined by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
Protests have occurred on the A12 since October 2021 with varying success. The initial protest led to four arrests after police prevented attempts to block the highway. The following year saw an increase in protests, with over four weeks of disruption between the months of July and December.
2023 has seen a rapid increase in protests and a decrease in public opinion - an opinion poll conducted by RTL Nieuws concluded that just 14% of voters expressed their support for the movement. In January, police arrested seven activists on counts of sedition, on the basis that the protesters had written graffiti on a wall next to the road. This culminated in a negative reaction towards the police’s handling of the case, from both civil society groups and the court system. Court judges argued that it was morally incorrect to arrest protesters at their homes, therefore applying more lenient charges on the protesters.
The protests have received generally negative reactions from Dutch politicians, with the mayor of The Hague arguing that activists could use the Malieveld, a large field adjacent to the A12, to protest. In March 2023, Prime Minister Mark Rutte argued that the police use of water cannons was the fault of the protesters, as they did not disperse when ordered to do so by the police.
Can the northern-European nation known for civility and peace return to these traditionally held values?
The most recent wave of protests during September 2023 saw the highest number of arrests since the protests began, according to Hester Op De Laak of Extinction Rebellion. Once again, police opted to use water cannons in an attempt to disperse the protesters, and eggs were also thrown by civil opponents to the protests. With no signs of conclusion, can the northern-European nation known for civility and peace return to these traditionally held values?