Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
Dutch police have cracked down on a protest against coronavirus restrictions in The Hague. Water cannon and mounted police were deployed to break up the crowd, and around 100 people were arrested according to local media.
Only a small demonstration was permitted by the local authorities, but large crowds defied the restrictions and flocked to The Hague’s Malieveld, a large grass field in the city center traditionally used for mass gatherings.
WTF #Malieveld21juni #Malieveld pic.twitter.com/Cm76uwAmLd
— HannieB (@Jebon03884819) June 21, 2020
Police responded with force, using truck-mounted water cannon to push the demonstrators back, while officers on horseback charged at the crowd.
Op Koekamp pic.twitter.com/Mwkw378kpg
— Bob van Keulen (@BobHGL) June 21, 2020
At one point a police bus appeared to be driving through the field to scare away protesters.
POLITIE RIJD DEMONSTRATIE IN MET Bus. #Malieveld #Malieveld21juni pic.twitter.com/HL1khRnwYp
— Gele Hesjes NL (@GeLeHesjesNL) June 21, 2020
There have been reports of direct clashes between angry protesters and riot police.
ME ging op de vlucht voor honderden supporters en demonstranten. pic.twitter.com/LVufTMk5Cd
— Bob van Keulen (@BobHGL) June 21, 2020
The city authorities initially banned the anti-lockdown rally after concluding that too many people would show up and social distancing would not be observed, according to local media.
In a surprise change of heart, Mayor Johan Remkes announced that a small time-limited protest would be allowed if the number of demonstrators was kept relatively low. However, at least 2,000 participants showed up, and police moved in to clear the area.
On Saturday, the same site was used for a “Black Lives Matter” event, which went ahead without police interference.
Malieveld, 1 minuut stil voor de 41 mensen die sinds 2016 zijn omgekomen onder verantwoordelijkheid van de politie. Stop de nieuwe politiewet! #blm #malieveld pic.twitter.com/iOn0Jww7c3
— Antoinette BLM (@antionette_69) June 20, 2020
Twitter users have been asking why the police chose to crackdown on Sunday’s rally but took no action the day before.
Als in NL linkse activisten van #BlackLivesMatter, #Antifa of #ExtinctionRebellion demonstreren, dan handhaaft de politie niet. Maar als een demonstrante uit een #antilockdown-protest de politie met bloemen tegemoet treedt, dan wordt zij door agenten met stokken geslagen. pic.twitter.com/BovFZO5YdG
— Percolator ? (@Percolator_HNJ) June 21, 2020
