Several thousand people gathered in The Hague in the Netherlands on Saturday for a farmers’ demonstration against environmental regulations. According to the police, a shovel excavator broke through a barrier right at the beginning, so that despite the ban, several trucks with demonstrators could drive onto the site of the rally. The excavator driver was arrested. Despite a ban by the authorities, dozens of tractors had previously made their way to The Hague.
This time it shouldn’t just be about protests against environmental regulations. Right-wing populist parties, above all right-winger Geert Wilders, wanted to use the podium to call for resistance against the government. In addition, the movement of the former Corona opponents “Samen voor Nederland” (Together for the Netherlands) mobilized their supporters. In return, the radical climate protectionists from Extinction Rebellion also announced a protest action in The Hague. They want to block a slip road. The measures to protect the climate do not go far enough for them.
The reasons for the farmers’ protests are the announced conditions for the protection of nature areas. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right coalition wants to drastically reduce nitrogen emissions by 2030. This decision was triggered by a ruling by the highest court in 2019. The government estimates that the measures could mean the end for around 30 percent of the farms.