Dutch police arrest 370 climate activists after 'Extinction Rebellion' blocks major highway

Dutch police arrested 370 climate activists on Saturday after breaking up a large-scale protest organised by Extinction Rebellion on the A12 highway.

The protest, which drew around 1,000 participants, was the latest in a series of demonstrations against government subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.

The demonstrators blocked a major traffic artery in The Hague, calling for the abolition of what they described as €46 billion in annual government subsidies for fossil fuel companies.

The protesters carried banners reading “Stop Fossil Subsidies” and chanted slogans like “the oceans are rising and so are we.”

Some activists set up tents and camping chairs on the highway, indicating their intention to stay overnight.

However, police began clearing the road shortly after 5pm, following the conclusion of their own protest over a pension dispute. By 7pm., the road was fully cleared and reopened to traffic.

Despite the arrests, the protest was largely peaceful. Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Rozemarijn van ‘t Einde vowed that the group would continue its protests until fossil fuel subsidies are eliminated. "We will keep coming back until the subsidies are abolished," she said.

The City of The Hague had earlier warned protesters that blocking the highway was illegal and encouraged them to move to a nearby field. This protest marked one of the most disruptive actions taken by Extinction Rebellion in the Netherlands, where more than a dozen similar demonstrations have occurred on the A12 over the past year.

Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel remarked that public safety remained a priority, despite the police work stoppage. He noted that the protesters' request for safety assurances from authorities was "ironic," given their previous criticisms of heavy-handed policing during earlier demonstrations.

The Extinction Rebellion group, which regularly targets the A12 motorway, has pledged to continue its efforts until meaningful action is taken by the government.