A massive mobilization. Activists from the environmental organization Extinction Rebellion spectacularly blocked a major highway crossing The Hague (Netherlands) on Saturday, September 14, to protest against billions of euros in Dutch subsidies for fossil fuels.
Many activists had organized a week-long march from Arnhem, in the east of the Netherlands, which culminated in the action on the A12 highway that serves The Hague. The demonstration coincided with a police strike over pensions. While the police were present in case of emergency, they did not intervene.
A12 motorway regularly targeted
Extinction Rebellion said some protesters planned to take advantage of the absence of police to camp overnight in motorway tunnels. “We will come back until the subsidies are removed,” said movement spokeswoman Rozemarijn van ‘t Einde, adding that these amount to between €39.7 billion and €46.4 billion per year.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of closing large sections of the motorway to ensure the safety of activists. Extinction Rebellion regularly targets the A12 motorway, with police often arresting hundreds of protesters.
The group said Saturday’s blockade was the largest “since the first blockade on 6 July 2022, but the severity of the climate and ecological crisis justifies such disruption”.
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