Dozens of farmers and interested parties gathered on Wednesday in front of a cell complex in Leeuwarden, where a 16-year-old activist is said to have been detained after a shooting incident Tuesday evening. This can be seen in images that journalists from, among others, the Leeuwarder Courant parts. Police vans and officers block the street to the entrance of the complex.
An incident took place on Tuesday evening at the entrance to the A32 motorway near Heerenveen. The police fired targeted shots because a threatening situation would have arisen when demonstrators tried to drive into officers and official cars. Three people were arrested as a result. It OM reports that in addition to the 16-year-old man, it concerns a 34-year-old man and a 46-year-old man. They have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Images are circulating on social media of the incident, in which a police bullet is said to have hit the tractor of the 16-year-old suspect. As always with the use of firearms by the police, the Rijksrecherche is investigating the incident. The Fryslân police are calling on to stop sharing agents’ personal data online, which happened after the incident.
‘Farmers and warriors’
Earlier today, the foreman of Farmers Defense Force, Mark van den Oever, had called on “farmers and fighters” in a video on YouTube to “hold a neat demonstration in Leeuwarden” against the arrest of the underage activist. “This is really not acceptable at all,” said Van den Oever about the arrest. He spoke of “a command from above to escalate”.
Farmers have also gathered in front of the provincial government in Leeuwarden. Dozens of tractors passed through the center of the Frisian capital, where farmer spokesman Mark de Jong Leeuwarder Courant let it be known that he would not leave the provincial house before he can talk to members of the Provincial Council. De Jong was informed that the States members will not come to the provincial government, which he in turn called “a lack of responsibility”.