Thirty activists from Extinction Rebellion stormed on the field with the same number of journalists in their wake just after 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon at Abbenes (Noord-Holland), on the way to the road of the A44 towards The Hague.
The police were already on her heels then. XR demonstrates in the margin of the NATO summit to draw attention to the climate crisis, based on the conviction that it leads to armed conflicts.
The moment a few activists reached the crash barrier through the ditch, police buses were already on site to push the protesters back.
An hour and a half after the start of the promotion, no delegation with foreign guests has been driven by. The asphalt did not reach the activists either. Nevertheless, demonstrant Emiel Sprenger calls the action successful. “We often hear that we [met XR-acties] People should not be a burden and focus on policy makers, “he says.” Well, we are doing that now. “
Sprenger is fascinated with his hands on the bone -dry arable land. It has never been so dry in the Netherlands this time of the year, he says. “I fear the ecological collapse much more than that Putin is on the border here.” He doesn’t know why he was arrested exactly. Sprenger states that our fundamental rights are being dealt with “arbitrary, since entering the highway as part of a demonstration can be seen as legitimate within the scope of the European Convention on Human Rights. “Because a few hotemetots are now coming, we are now being tackled immediately.”
Four agents are busy with a demonstrator.
Photo Olivier Middendorp
Some activists who tried to occupy the highway at Abbenes.
Photo Olivier Middendorp
In addition to Sprenger in the mud there are two fascinated journalists from the Leidsch Dagblad, including a trainee. They did not have a police press card with them and, according to the police, did not adhere to the emergency ordinance. It says that no one can come within 250 meters from the A44.
Activist Liesbeth, “rather not a last name”, has a sign with “here work is being done on your return.” A nod to signs that would be hung in the fantasy of former asylum minister Marjolein Faber (PVV) at the registration center for asylum seekers in Ter Apel. “Half Land is locked so that they can meet over more weapons,” says Liesbeth. “Then they better go back. Or talk about climate measures.”
She had the hope that the demonstrators had been a little more time, so that passing government leaders would see them. But the police start surrounding and progressing after half an hour to leave the site. In the end, 31 people were arrested.