Dutch police detain hundreds at climate protest

Dutch police detained hundreds of climate activists Saturday after they blocked a major highway into The Hague for several hours. The protest, organized by Extinction Rebellion (XR), was part of ongoing efforts to call attention to Dutch fossil fuel subsidies and the global climate crisis.

The A12 highway, a key route into the city, was blocked around midday. Protesters, carrying XR flags and placards reading "We believe in life after oil," walked onto the road despite police warnings to remain in the Malieveld city center.

Authorities deployed water cannons to disperse the crowds and arrested approximately 700 protesters. The blockade caused significant traffic delays, including for emergency vehicles, which police said exacerbated risks to public safety.

Police maintained a heavy presence, with officers on foot, on horseback, and a drone monitoring the situation from above. Several activists scaled a signboard spanning the A12, unfurling an XR flag in a symbolic protest against fossil fuel dependence.

The protesters ignored a police request to remain in the city centre and not to enter onto the neighbouring arterial road.AFP

Christian Loncle, 49, a protester from Paris, voiced frustration with politicians' inaction on climate change. “Politicians are not doing enough yet,” Loncle said. “Hopefully, they’re listening to us before it's too late.”

The demonstration echoed similar protests last year, including a high-profile action in April where activist Greta Thunberg was detained twice. Local authorities reported that most detained protesters were later released near the ADO stadium on the city's outskirts.

The protest also comes amid continuing global environmental crises, including severe wildfires in California, which Loncle linked to the broader issue of climate change. "I’m not a scientist," he said, "but I hope politicians listen before their homes burn down.