The judge has lifted the ban on five climate activists from Extinction Rebellion. That made the activist collective announced Tuesday. The XR members can therefore participate in the planned blockade of the A12 in The Hague on Saturday, near the offices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The demonstration is intended to demand an end to fossil subsidies, which would amount to “up to thirty billion euros a year”.
Due to the area ban imposed by the judiciary, the climate activists were not allowed to enter the Utrechtsebaan, the beginning of the A12 in The Hague. The Public Prosecution Service previously imposed this measure until the court could provide a definite answer as to whether they had committed a criminal offence. The OM described the blockade of Extinction Rebellion as “dangerous and disruptive”. In April, the area ban was extended by 90 days. The judge has now reversed that decision and ruled that the extension of the measure was disproportionate.
Extinction Rebellion is satisfied with the verdict. It calls, the organization states in a statement issued, “to put a stop to the intimidation and criminalization of activists”. In their own words, all five activists, along with thousands of others, will use their right to demonstrate on Saturday.
Read also: The tactics of Extinction Rebellion: disrupt order and be arrested