Over 2400 climate activist demonstrators, associated with the Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, or the Milieudefensie group, were arrested and detained by the police in The Hague, Netherlands on Saturday for protesting government fossil fuel subsidies on the A12 motorway near The Hague. The police reported spending over 4 hours arresting and removing people from the highway through, among other things, the use of water cannons. While the police force’s response is justified as “reasonable,” they are prepared for further protests in the upcoming weeks.
Various smaller demonstrations in the surrounding areas lent support to the main A12 motorway blockage. The primary protest obstructed vehicular movement while demonstrators displayed signs imparting messages like “fossil fuels are not cool”. The protest group has made it clear they intend to continue until the government abolishes fossil fuel subsidies, a call the Dutch government has thus far neglected.
According to a report by The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), the Dutch government annually spends US$40.5 billion in subsidies for fossil fuel industries. The report reveals 31 fossil fuel subsidies in the form of tax breaks aimed to cut down the production costs of these fuels. Although the government agreed to prepare a plan to phase out fossil fuel subsides by 2025 on SOMO’s request, no action has been taken yet.
While Rob Jetten, the Climate and Energy Minister, has acknowledged Extinction Rebellion’s mission, he criticised their methods. Similarly, the caretaker Justice Minister, Dilan Yesilgoz, urged protesters to refrain from blocking motorways and forewarned motorists about potential disruptions in the coming weeks.
The protesting groups have plans to not only continue with the demonstrations but to back them up with a more formal lobbying approach.