After consultation with the police and the Public Prosecution Service, the mayor of Harderwijk has decided that the demonstration of ‘The Netherlands in Resistance’ will continue tonight. For safety reasons, an emergency ordinance is in force and the route will not pass the homes of nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal and activist Norbert Dikkeboom.
The latter was originally the plan of the organization. An emergency ordinance was already in force for the area around the home of nitrogen minister Van der Wal after protesting farmers besieged the home three times. Dikkeboom is the initiator of the mass declaration against foreman Willem Engel of action group Virus Truth. The action group Nederland in Verzet protested against the corona measures for months and is now also joining the Boerenprotest against the cabinet’s nitrogen plans.
The final route of the demonstration and the conditions under which it will take place will be discussed this afternoon between authorities and the organization. Due to the demonstration, an emergency ordinance will be in force for the entire municipality of Harderwijk from 4 o’clock this afternoon. The ordinance will remain in effect for 12 noon until 2 July at 4 a.m. This gives the police the opportunity to carry out preventive searches when necessary. The police can also ask people to leave the municipality of Harderwijk.
Freedom of speech
Mayor Van Schaik van Harderwijk about granting permission for the demonstration: ,,Freedom of expression is a great asset in the Netherlands. I will therefore cooperate in allowing a demonstration within our municipal boundaries. With the unrest earlier this week in Hierden still fresh in my memory, it is very important to me to guarantee public order and safety.”
Corona protesters support farmers protest
The demonstration is organized by Michel Reijinga of the Netherlands in Resistance. He became known during the corona pandemic as the man behind the ‘coffee drinking’ demonstrations on the Museumplein in Amsterdam. Those meetings were aimed at the corona measures. Now the Netherlands in Resistance supports the farmers’ protests. “I have been campaigning against mismanagement by the cabinet since 2018. Last year they called me a corona wappie, now I will be a nitrogen wappie, but I’ll keep going.” Reijinga told this site yesterday.
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