Protesters held at Israeli embassy

Police have dragged away 39 people this afternoon for holding a sit-down demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in The Hague.

The group had gathered in front of the embassy at Buitenhof to voice their opposition against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Police say that while the demonstration had not been announced previously, they had learned through their own channels that it would take place. “Therefore the police was well prepared to see to a structured process of the demonstration,” they say in a press release. Officers were out in full force, many on horseback. They say their operation was intended to focus on preventing possible road blockages and minimizing impact on the functioning of the embassy. Officers stepped in when the group of about 40 people sat down in front of the building and refused to move. Police rounded up 39 protestors and took them to the station, two of them for hurling insults at officers. “Aside from that the demonstration gave no other problems,” they said. Police say they would continue monitoring the area around the embassy.