The protest was organized in response to the cabinet’s decision to double gas production. The poor organization regarding the subsidy for homeowners to strengthen their houses or make them more sustainable also plays a role. On Monday, thousands of people stood in (digital) queues for hours to submit an application for 10,000 euros and, moreover, the subsidy budget was too small, although it was announced on Friday that the cabinet is allocating an extra 250 million euros for the scheme.
Thousands of people took to the streets with torches to demand respect from national politicians for the province.
Ⓒ Raymond Roersma / ProNews
The tour started at 8 p.m. at the Vismarkt and ends there as well. The protestors’ signs and banners bear texts such as ‘Enough is enough’ and ‘Pet fire is unextinguishable, respect is priceless’. Along the route, tractors honk their horns in support of the demonstrators.
Safety
According to the organization, it is time for the cabinet to take the situation in Groningen seriously. “We have to endure a lot as Groningers, but we are also part of the Netherlands. We want safety and compensation in return,” said organizer Chris Garrit.
The protest is organized under the slogan ‘respect for Groningen’ by the Groninger Soil Movement (GBB), the Groninger Gasberaad, former night mayor Chris Garrit and SP Member of Parliament Sandra Beckerman. The crowd chanted ‘respect for Groningen, respect for Grunn’, led by actor Marcel Hensema, who acted as ringmaster.
In 2018, about 10,000 people attended an earlier torch relay against the gas extraction policy.