Arson at bone-dry roadsides, smoke development on highways and blocked entrances and exits led to dangerous situations on Wednesday morning. However, the local police units do not intervene. “There’s no sign on who did it.”
The actions started from 5.30 in the morning, especially in Gelderland, Overijssel and Utrecht. Farmers’ activists poured hay bales, car tires, rubble and manure over driveways and exits, blocking entire roads.
Just before noon, several police departments in the country announced that they had not arrested anyone. “We are nowhere on site because there is no need for that,” says a spokesperson for Central Netherlands (Utrecht and Flevoland).
“If it is dangerous, we will act,” he continues. “But that didn’t happen this morning.” He indicates that the actions did not go “as they should”. At the same time, it seems unlikely to him that the police can find out who is responsible for this. “There’s no sign on who did it.”
Finally, the spokesperson emphasizes that the police have chosen not to elaborate on the situation, because the police saw no reason to intervene.
In Drenthe a car crashed due to rubbish on the road
“If there is reason to do so, we are there,” said a police spokesperson for the Northern Netherlands. He said the police did show up after a dangerous situation on the A32 near Meppel-Noord resulted in a car crashing into beams and rubbish on the road. No one was injured.
No arrests have been made, the spokesman said. He cannot say whether there will be another investigation.
According to the ministry, the police have no choice but to intervene
But the Ministry of Justice and Security seems to disagree. Blocking roads does not fall under the applicable laws, according to a spokesperson. “This can have serious consequences. Then the police have no choice but to intervene where possible, if necessary afterwards.”
However, no action is taken against the perpetrators in the provinces. In Overijssel and Gelderland, where the nuisance was greatest, the police have not yet arrested anyone.
When asked whether the police will try to find the perpetrators, the spokesman for the East Netherlands police says that it will “be made difficult for us” if they do not know who, for example, set fire to straw bales. “We do need information that leads us to the people behind this. If there’s information or we know who’s behind it, we’ll act.”
The police also report that farmers are not physically protesting. It is up to Rijkswaterstaat to clear the blockages that have been put up. “We as police have no role in that.”
Rijkswaterstaat wants to recover the damage from perpetrators
Rijkswaterstaat said earlier that it did not consider it desirable for highways to be used to take action, because of the dangerous situations this creates. A spokesperson said about the burning objects that it is “grit and bone dry”. “A straw bale in the roadside could possibly lead to more fires.”
The smoke development also deprives drivers of sight, and it scares people, the spokesperson said. The rubbish and hay bales on the road can cause people to suddenly apply the brakes or swerve. Or they drive into it, as happened in Drenthe. “It leads to very unexpected and dangerous situations.”
Rijkswaterstaat is busy all morning clearing rubble, cleaning roads and in some cases also repairing roads. “If it is possible, we certainly want to recover the damage from the perpetrators,” says the spokesperson. “We’re not just letting this happen,” he concludes.