The pig farmer was caught in the act. He is suspected of blocking the slip road to the A18 motorway with others, which created a dangerous situation, and that he dumped waste. According to the public prosecutor, it concerned sawdust, manure and straw. “Protesting is a fundamental right. And it is understandable that the nitrogen plans evoke a lot of emotion. But you are breaking a boundary if you create dangerous situations,” said the officer.
The man confessed that he dumped straw with an unregistered tractor. He would not say with whom he was campaigning. The campaign was an initiative of a partnership of farmers in the Achterhoek. “I don’t support the action, but I felt I had to do something,” the pig farmer told the judge.
Farmers have been protesting the cabinet’s nitrogen plans for some time now. In recent weeks, garbage has been dumped or hay bales set on fire several times on various highways. Several people have been arrested recently. A case will be filed in Zwolle court on Friday against five men suspected of throwing beer bottles at the police. This happened in Zwolle during a farmers’ protest on 4 July at the Albert Heijn distribution center.