Protesters to speak with MPs today; leave Parliament quietly
Protesters who overtook part of the Tweede Kamer, the Dutch House of Representatives in Parliament, left quietly around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning after they were told a delegation of leaders would be allowed to meet with Members of Parliament. The demonstrators spontaneously arrived at the government building when it became clear that the Islamic State, ISIS, would likely take control of the Syrian city Kobani. Kobani is the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in the Middle Eastern nation, and sits at the border with Turkey. Protesters were out supporting Kurdish people in the region, and were upset that the Dutch government has not committed more manpower to the fight against ISIS.
The Netherlands has refused to take part in strikes against ISIS in Syria, only joining the international coalition fighting in Iraq. The leaders of the protest spoke with the president of the House, Anouchka van Miltenburg, police say. The VVD politician invited a delegation of pro-Kurdish supporters back to the Tweede Kamer Tuesday morning to speak with MPs who sit on the Foreign Affairs committee. "I share your concerns and understand the horror that you feel," Van Miltenburg told the demonstration. “I understand you all needed to come here.”
Over 100 people were able to enter the Tweede Kamer at about 9:30 p.m. Monday. Police and security responded, preventing the protesters from going beyond the secured perimeter inside the building, and keeping another 150 people outside. The peaceful demonstration began to leave the House at 1:40 p.m., according to Police. The last of the crowd left Het Plein, the prominent public square by the Dutch government buildings, at 2:10 a.m. No arrests were made.
