Climate Activists Block Main Road Into The Hague

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – On Saturday, hundreds of climate activists blocked one of The Hague’s main roads, defying attempts to prevent their protest, raising concerns about restrictions on the rights to demonstrate in the Netherlands.

The protesters, many waving colored flags with the symbol of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion and one holding a sign saying, in Dutch, “This is a dead-end road,” gathered on the A12 road near the temporary home of the Dutch parliament. Hundreds more demonstrators and police stood by.

Climate Protesters who refused to obey police orders to leave the road were picked up and carried one by one to waiting buses before being driven away. It was unclear how many people had been detained hours after the protest began. According to police, many activists left voluntarily when officers asked them to.

Six members of Extinction Rebellion were taken into custody early this week on suspicion of sedition because they were calling for the protest.

A Disruptive Blockade

On Friday, a judge upheld a court order barring another activist from the area for 90 days. According to Extinction Rebellion, he defied the order and attended the protest. According to the group’s lawyer, the order was intended to “take away the right of climate activists to demonstrate.”

The arrests and exclusion order have sparked outrage among activists claiming they violate their right to peaceful protest.

A large number of participants, according to Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Anne Kervers, “shows what society thinks of fossil fuel subsidies and the intimidation and criminalization of nonviolent climate activism.”

Prosecutors defended their actions, claiming that the suspects were rallying supporters to join them in the “dangerous and disruptive blockade” of the road.

Prosecutors said that “calling for a criminal offense, such as blocking a public road,” amounted to sedition.

They claimed that the blockade of the busy road leading into The Hague posed a risk to motorists and protesters alike.

Climate Protesters Will Keep Protesting Until Their Needs Are Met

“Demonstrating is a fundamental right that the municipality of The Hague facilitates,” prosecutors said. “Every year, hundreds of demonstrations take place in The Hague without a hitch. However, a demonstration is not a license to commit crimes.”

On the other hand, members of the Climate Extinction Rebellion have said they will keep protesting until the government stops giving fossil fuel companies tax breaks.

“It is essential that citizens can demonstrate against this in a place that matters. “This includes the A12, between the House of Representatives and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate,” Extinction Rebellion said in a statement. “Any traffic annoyance, for example, will have to be tolerated.”

Out of solidarity, other activists joined the protest.

“We are deeply concerned that the right to protest in the Netherlands is being increasingly restricted. “We firmly support peaceful activists exercising their right to protest,” Andy Palmen of Greenpeace’s Dutch arm said in a statement ahead of the demonstration.

SOURCE – (AP)