Protests · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Dutch Riot Police Break Up Far-Right Protest In The Hague After Violence Erupts
About 500 far-right protesters clashed with riot police in The Hague after authorities banned march. Police dispersed the crowd using baton charges, dogs, water cannons, and mounted officers.
18 outlets, one story, no spin found.
5 of 9 outlets skipped it: a police car was set on fire during the clashes.
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Violence at Malieveld
Dutch riot police broke up a far-right protest in The Hague after violence erupted and local authorities banned a planned march against immigration and asylum policies.
“about 500 far-right demonstrators pelted them with projectiles and fireworks”
The demonstration, organized as “We Are The People,” drew about 500 people and protesters threw fireworks and other projectiles at police at Malieveld, a park in the city center.
Police used baton charges and dogs to disperse the demonstration, and water cannon was deployed as mounted police carried out arrests.
Justice Minister David van Weel condemned the scenes on X, saying, “Identical images from the Malieveld. Hitler salutes, antisemitic slogans, violence against the police and throwing fireworks at the riot squad,” and Prime Minister Rob Jetten said on X that demonstrators deliberately sought confrontation with police.
AFP reporters on the ground said police charged protesters with batons to disperse them after authorities banned the march planned to go through the city.
Slogans, arrests, and reactions
AP reported that Justice Minister David van Weel called for an “extremely firm” response on X, describing “disgusting scenes” and saying demonstrators made Nazi salutes, chanted antisemitic slogans, attacked police and threw fireworks at riot officers.
Euronews said the rally “We Are The People” descended into violence as protesters fired fireworks and other projectiles, while mounted police stopped several individuals and water cannons were briefly used to disperse the crowd.
Al Jazeera reported that police arrested 24 people and deployed water cannon to disperse the rioters, while further investigations were underway.
Al Jazeera also quoted David van Weel thanking police officers for helping to maintain the democratic rule of law, and it described the “Wij zijn het volk” rally as organized to protest government policies in the Netherlands, specifically on immigration.
Protester Thijs Jansen, a 31-year-old mechanic, told AFP, “We’re losing our country. We’re literally losing our country to mass migration.”
What happens next
The Hague municipality banned the planned march after violence broke out among demonstrators gathered at Malieveld and later ordered the crowd to disperse, with police escorting protesters away from the park.
“The demonstration was ended because of continued violence”
AP said Saturday’s unrest came a year after rioting erupted around a right-wing demonstration, when a police car was set on fire during clashes between black-clad protesters and police and the headquarters of the centrist D66 party were attacked.
Al Jazeera reported that the “Wij zijn het volk” rally was ended because of continued violence, and protesters were escorted away from Malieveld park in the city centre.
RTL Info said police intervened around noon as the procession was about to set off, and it cited NOS saying the intervention was necessary “due to public order disturbances, acts of violence against the police, and the persistent presence of people wearing face-covering clothing.”
In the aftermath, Justice Minister David van Weel said on X that it was “important that hardline action is taken against this,” while AP said he called for an “extremely firm” response to what he described as “disgusting scenes.”