The police must take stronger action against farmers during demonstrations against government policy. D66 party leader Jan Paternotte argues for this, in response to the ‘intimidating’ visit of protesting farmers at the house of VVD minister Christianne van der Wal (Nitrogen).
The police reported that this did not violate the law, but Paternotte has questions about this. “I think they were blocking the road and the footage showed it was intimidating. That is also prohibited by law.”
The D66 leader also refers to the large farmers’ protest last year, in which the highways were blocked by tractors and the Malieveld was damaged. The door of a provincial house was also driven into in Groningen.
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Paternotte: ,, Last weekend Minister Staghouwer (ChristenUnie, Agriculture, ed.) almost got stuck. It’s just going too far. We must not have a police post in front of every minister, as is now the case with ministers Kaag and De Jonge. Getting stuck, blocking roads, intimidating. It’s just not allowed. Of course we sympathize with the farmers. And the part that crosses the line is only a part, not the whole group. But this cannot go on any longer.”
Van der Wal decided not to file a complaint.
Paternotte’s appeal is also related to the planned demonstration by farmers in The Hague on June 22. Moreover, the constituencies of the governing parties are stirring. There is a lot of resistance among VVD and CDA members against the government’s plans to reduce nitrogen emissions. This weekend VVD members adopted another motion criticizing it† D66 has a conference this weekend.
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