And then suddenly there were between sixty and seventy tractors on the A28 motorway. In the direction of Hoogeveen to Assen. Right at the Dwingelderveld. Completely quiet.
“Actually, the intention was to drive slowly. But the riot police stops us,” says farmer Sanne. She has her farm a little further away. She says the intention was to do a slow lap on the highway.
The reason may be known. The farmers do not agree with the government’s nitrogen plans. “We are really standing next to a Natura 2000 area here. The highway runs through it. That is allowed. Attero is also there. It can also continue to build, but the farmers have to freak out.”
Sanne does not know whether the action will help the farmers. “We don’t know it ourselves either, but doing nothing doesn’t help anyway. We have to do something, and all of us keep fighting. Because if we don’t do anything, they’ll break all the laws and regulations. And then you have, in no timea Netherlands without farmers.”
The police say they are handing out fines to the farmers, and are trying to get them off the highway. Talks are underway, a spokesperson said.
Watch the entire interview with farmer Sanne below: