“We will stay here as long as we have to, even if it is two weeks. Bring your motorhome, tent or caravan and join in,” they call on their supporters. There is also a call: “Whatever happens, do not use force.”
In a statement, the protesters say they will take action until “all measures introduced in the past two years are completely abolished.” They mean, among other things, mouth caps, corona vaccinations and the corona admission ticket. “Never again. That is why Convoy NL demands that the referendum return with immediate effect.”
Blockages
The road between the Binnenhof and Malieveld is completely blocked by, among other things, trucks and dozens of passenger cars. Traffic in the city is affected by the demonstration under the name Freedom Convoy Netherlands. Police are urging road users to avoid the center as much as possible. The Binnenhof has now been closed by the police.
The municipality reports on Twitter that “people who demonstrate unannounced” at the Binnenhof are referred to the Malieveld. “Ignoring police instructions and violating traffic rules will be acted upon.” The municipality previously wrote that participants must park their vehicles at the ADO Den Haag stadium.
Text continues below the tweet.
Reachable
About twenty trucks and a few tractors are parked at the entrance to the Binnenhof. Many demonstrators carry flags, including Dutch and Frisian. They also have banners with texts such as ‘Rutte IV must go, we are not leaving’, ‘Enough is enough’, ‘Freedom, freedom’ and they chant ‘Rutte fuck off.’ So far it’s been pretty quiet. According to a passer-by, the atmosphere is ‘fine’, and people chat on the road.
There are also a few dozen trucks along the Binnenhof on the Vijverberg. One of the activists says the truckers are prepared to stand for weeks, until they have their “freedom back.”
The truckers are participating in the protest, following the example of other freedom convoys following the Canadian example. The demonstrators have come to The Hague from several provinces in the country. At the end of last month, people were also driving in a convoy of cars, trucks and tractors in various places in our country. The truckers and other sympathizers are protesting against the corona measures such as the corona access pass.
Trams and buses have to detour
Due to the protest in The Hague against the corona measures, public transport in the center is experiencing a lot of hindrance. “We are still driving around the center because there is no getting through,” says a spokeswoman for transport organization HTM.
From the Malieveld to the Binnenhof there are hundreds of vehicles, mainly trucks and passenger cars. The road is blocked. “That has consequences for tram 1, 15, 16 and 17 and for buses 22, 24 and 28, which are guided around the center. We just have to wait until the police deem it safe again, until then we have to take a detour,” said the HTM spokeswoman.
The police have yet to intervene. However, the demonstrators are pointed out that they are not allowed to demonstrate there and that that is only allowed on the Malieveld. Several fines have already been issued, a police spokeswoman said. But the protesters say they have no intention of leaving.
On Telegram, Freedom Convoy Netherlands calls on the demonstrators to lock their vehicles and come to the intersection of the Buitenhof with the Lange Vijverberg. There are an estimated 300 people there around 12.30 pm. The atmosphere is described as ‘comfortable’.