The three farmers who were arrested on Tuesday during a protest in Heerenveen have been arrested for attempted manslaughter. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) will now investigate what exactly happened and what exactly the men are suspected of.
Correction: We wrote that the three are suspected of attempted manslaughter, but that turns out not to be true. The men have been arrested in the “hectic situation there” for attempted manslaughter, but a spokesperson explains that the exact suspicion has yet to be investigated. That becomes clear when the farmers are brought before the examining magistrate.
The police responded to the farmers’ protest on Tuesday evening. Targeted shots were fired and warning shots were also fired. A tractor was hit by a bullet. This happened at a ramp to the A32. Three men were arrested.
The suspects are a 46-year-old man from the municipality of Opsterland, a 34-year-old man from the municipality of Heerenveen and a 16-year-old boy from the municipality of Heerenveen. The police investigation will now focus on the behavior of the three. “Depending on the results of that investigation, it will become clear whether the persons will be detained longer or not. They are currently detained,” said the Public Prosecution Service.
The National Criminal Investigation Department also conducts investigations. This is common when the police fire shots.
Images and videos of the incident are circulating on social media. Messages are also circulated in which personal data of the agents are shared. Police are calling on the police to stop reporting the officers. The messages are “very intimidating and threatening”, according to the police. Sharing personal data (doxing) is punishable by law.