Climate crisis: Extinction Rebellion blocks The Hague – 1500 arrests

However, one day after the blockade of a section of the A12 motorway near the Dutch parliament and seat of government in The Hague, only one of those arrested was still in custody. He is accused of biting an official. According to the public prosecutor’s office, a total of 48 participants are being investigated for criminal offenses, including insult, damage to property and obstruction of traffic. The prosecution authority decided that there would be no investigations into the other temporarily arrested people. On Saturday afternoon, the police initially only spoke of several hundred arrests.

Climate protest against government energy policy

With the blockade of the A12, the group Extinction Rebellion wanted to protest against the government’s energy policy. Several thousand people responded to a corresponding call. According to the ANP news agency, the police used a water cannon to prevent the demonstrators from closing the highway.

The officials intervened earlier this time than in previous disruptive actions by Extinction Rebellion, it said. The city of The Hague had previously warned that blocking the expressway was prohibited. Referring to this, a water cannon deployment had also been warned.

According to the ANP, Prime Minister Mark Rutte called it “absurd” that climate activists blocked the A12 despite an express ban by the mayor of The Hague. You should therefore not complain about the use of a water cannon. It’s their own fault for that.