24 Arrested as Far-Right Protest Turns Violent in Hague
24 Arrested as Far-Right Protest Turns Violent in Hague
Anonymous
Key Points
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Protesters wore balaclavas, scarves and masks, and carried banners reading “remigratie” and “blanke mannen vooraan” (“white men first”).
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Rioters ripped traffic poles from the ground and threw at least one of them at police before officers pushed the crowd back toward Centraal Station; order was restored by about 3:30 p.m.
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A protester, 31-year-old mechanic Thijs Jansen, told AFP, “We’re losing our country. We’re literally losing our country to mass migration.”
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The rally was organised by the group Wij Zijn Het Volk (“We are the people”) and drew several hundred people near The Hague’s Centraal Station from around 11 a.m.
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Authorities said the latest violence was less severe than the unrest a year earlier, when about 1,000 rioters set fire to police cars, blockaded the A12 motorway and damaged the headquarters of the D66 party.
Dutch riot police broke up an anti-immigration protest in The Hague on Saturday after several hundred far-right demonstrators threw fireworks, smoke bombs and other objects at officers. Albeu reported that police used dogs, batons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd from Malieveld, making 24 arrests. Protesters displayed Nazi salutes and racist slogans, prompting authorities to cancel a planned march through the city.
Justice Minister David van Weel and Acting Mayor Richard de Mos condemned the violence and called for a firm response. Social News noted this unrest comes roughly a year after a more severe far-right riot that included attacks on police cars and political property.
Protesters Demand 'Remigratie' as Rally Turns Chaotic
The rally, organized by the group Wij Zijn Het Volk ("We are the people"), drew several hundred demonstrators near The Hague's Centraal Station starting around 11 a.m. Shoreline Media reported that protesters wore balaclavas, scarves and masks while carrying banners reading "remigratie" and "blanke mannen vooraan" ("white men first"). A 31-year-old mechanic named Thijs Jansen told Albeu that demonstrators felt threatened by immigration. "We're losing our country. We're literally losing our country to mass migration," Jansen said.
Riot Police Deploy Dogs and Pepper Spray to Clear Streets
When violence erupted, officers moved quickly to push back the crowd. Head Topics reported that rioters ripped traffic poles from the ground and hurled at least one at police before officers cleared the area. Police deployed dogs, batons and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators back toward Centraal Station. Order was restored by about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
This Year's Riot Far Less Severe Than Last Year's Violence
Authorities said Saturday's unrest caused less damage than the far-right riots that occurred roughly one year earlier. Social News noted that last year about 1,000 rioters set fire to police cars, blockaded the A12 motorway and damaged the headquarters of the D66 political party. This Saturday's protest resulted in 24 arrests, but no reports of major property destruction or vehicle fires.
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