Climate activists block Dutch highway, demand end to fossil fuel subsidies
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The Hague: In a prominent demonstration against Dutch fossil fuel subsidies, climate change activists, including a contingent from the Extinction Rebellion group, took to the streets and blocked a major motorway in The Hague.
They're making an intense appeal for the Netherlands to eliminate these subsidies, marking yet another high-profile action by Extinction Rebellion that garnered several thousand participants.
The activists, motivated by their cause, are not merely engaging in a one-off protest but are threatening a permanent blockade of the motorway, pledging to "stay or come back every day" until their demands for the abandonment of fossil fuel subsidies are met, reported AFP.
Aware of the potential police response, many protesters came well-prepared with umbrellas and decked out in bathing suits or waterproof coats. These precautions became relevant as Dutch law enforcement deployed water cannons against some of the demonstrators. The sounds of horns, whistles, and police sirens echoed through the city as protesters took to the streets in various vehicles.
Katrien Joosten, a 46-year-old architect participating in the demonstration along with her 13-year-old son, expressed her concerns about the subsidies: "A lot of money is being invested in the wrong place. Those using the most fossil fuels at the moment are the ones getting the most subsidies. This is slowing down the transition (to renewable energy)." She acknowledged the potential for water cannons but felt that her son was too young to be arrested.
Prior to the protest, police unions released a statement warning of the significant resources needed to manage the demonstration, stating that the Netherlands could hardly afford the deployment required to handle the situation. The activists' disruption of traffic on a major entry route to The Hague emphasized their intent.
The protesters argue that the Dutch government allocates approximately €37.5 billion ($40.2 billion) annually in subsidies to fossil fuel industries, obstructing the transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources.
This demonstration follows a similar event in May where police used water cannons to disperse the protest and arrested more than 1,500 individuals out of approximately 7,000 participants.
The Extinction Rebellion (XR) group has consistently orchestrated high-profile actions to bring attention to the climate change emergency. One of their recent endeavors included disrupting the US Open tennis semi-final in New York.