Greta Thunberg arrested twice during protests in The Hague
Police arrest Greta Thunberg in The Hague
Source: AFP/RAMON VAN FLYMEN
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested twice during a blockade demonstration in the Netherlands. The purpose of the protest was to demonstrate against the government’s fossil fuel subsidies.
Dhe Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in the Netherlands at a large rally for climate protection. The 21-year-old took part in the blockade of one of the main roads in The Hague on Saturday along with other demonstrators. Activists from the group Extinction Rebellion called for this. In The Hague they wanted to occupy part of the A12 motorway.
How ““The Telegraaf” writes, the police had expected the activists there with a large contingent and arrived with, among other things, horses and water cannons. Around a hundred activists therefore blocked the Koningstunnel in the city center, near the A12, the newspaper continues. The AFP news agency reported several hundred participants.
Thunberg had joined demonstrators who marched from the city center to a field next to the A12. Protesters carried flags with the Extinction Rebellion logo and placards reading “Stop fuel subsidies now” and “The planet is dying.” Before her arrest, Thunberg told AFP it was “important to demonstrate today because we are living in a planetary state of emergency.”
Greta Thunberg poses with other demonstrators after her arrest
Source: REUTERS
Police took Thunberg and other protesters into custody after they failed to comply with officers’ requests to break up the blockade. They were initially held in a large security force bus.
“Nothing just happens,” Thunberg said after her arrest
The climate activist told the Dutch news agency ANP by telephone that her arrest was peaceful. “But that’s not the point, I’m here because of the climate goal.” She has the feeling that she was able to get her message across well in The Hague. “People have been promised action for decades. Nothing just happens. We’ll see if it works now.” After the police released Thunberg, she returned to the center of The Hague and took part in another blockade, whereupon officers temporarily arrested her there again.
According to police, a total of more than 400 demonstrators were temporarily taken into custody on Saturday.
Since 2022, the climate activists from “Extinction Rebellion” have repeatedly held blockades on the A12 to protest against subsidies for fossil fuels. With Saturday’s protest, the group says it wants to put pressure on the Dutch government ahead of another planned debate on the issue in June.
In July 2022, the Dutch parliament asked the government to present a plan to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, estimated at between 39.7 and 46.4 billion euros. The plan has not yet been presented.