Rainbow warriors: Dutch police attack eco-protesters with water cannons, drag them away as protesters close major road for seventh day
- Protests continue in The Hague against subsidies to industries that use fossil fuels
- Dutch police deploy water cannons in attempt to evict activists
- Environmental activists around the world plan a weekend of climate protests
Police in the Netherlands deployed water cannons on a key road through The Hague on Friday in a bid to dislodge environmental activists who have been disrupting traffic for seven days.
Protesters, from groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace and others, have been demanding that the Dutch government end subsidies to fossil fuel-using industries.
Photographs on Friday showed water cannon spraying protesters as they blocked the A12 through The Hague. Protesters held signs reading “Stop Funding the Problem” as police appeared to detain activists.
The demonstrations followed a report published last week by the Center for Research on Multinational Corporations that revealed that the Dutch government has been subsidizing industries that use oil, coal and gas to the tune of some 37.5 billion euros.
Police were shown pushing protesters off the road, while protesters sat under umbrellas while being sprayed by water cannons.
Environmental protesters were attacked with water cannons on Friday as Dutch police attempted to clear them from a key road through The Hague.
Protests last seven days against subsidies to industries that use fossil fuels
Activists in The Hague blocked the A12, a road that passes near the temporary headquarters of the Dutch parliament.
Thousands of people have been arrested since the protests began a week ago.
Last Saturday, around 10,000 people were reported to have attended the demonstration and more than 3,000 protesters were arrested over the weekend.
The protests in the Netherlands on Friday coincided with others held in dozens of other countries around the world as climate groups looked forward to a weekend of demonstrations that were due to conclude with a March to End Fossil Fuels on Sunday in New York, where leaders are meeting at the United Nations General Assembly.
The United Nations will host the Climate Ambition Summit on September 20.
Activists in The Hague have vowed to stay and return if removed until the Dutch government modifies its approach to subsidies for fossil fuel-consuming industries.
Environmentalists have organized several major protests in the Netherlands in recent months. Activists also blocked the A12 passing by the current temporary headquarters of the Dutch parliament in May and March.
Thousands of people have been arrested since the protests began seven days ago.
The Netherlands is preparing for elections in November 2023 and environmental activists have been calling for a faster transition away from fossil fuels.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace and other groups participated in the protests.
While the Netherlands is often seen as an environmental leader, there are calls for more green measures to be implemented as the country moves towards early general elections in November.
Current Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has been in power for almost thirteen years, has said he will not run for re-election. His coalition collapsed in July amid a dispute over immigration policy.
The Netherlands wants to reduce emissions of pollutants by 50 percent by 2030 in what the government has described as an “inevitable transition.”
The Netherlands wants to reduce emissions of pollutants by 50 percent by 2030 in what the government has described as an “inevitable transition.”
Protesters taken away by police in The Hague
United Nations hosts Climate Ambition Summit on September 20
