Activists clash with police at anti-gas extraction protest

By Janene Pieters on August 29, 2018 - 07:38
Police
PolicePolitie

The police and activists clashed during a protest against gas extraction in Farmsum, Groningen on Tuesday. The activists are blocking access to a NAM site in the town. Police kept them away from the fence with batons and pepper spray, RTL Nieuws reports.

Action group Code Rood claims that five activists were injured and that a young woman lost consciousness. According to the police, no injuries were reported to them. They did get a report of a woman falling ill, and she was treated by paramedics at the scene, the Groningen police said. 

The activists broke the rules by getting too close to the fences, the police said. They wanted to hang banners. "Officers asked several times that they get away from the fences. They did not listen, Which meant the police had to act", the Groningen police said.

Calm was restored shortly after this incident, both the police and Code Rood said. According to the action group, hundreds of people are participating in the blockade, which they plan to keep going for several days.

"Our action is directed against the fossil fuel industry (Shell and Exxon), which sacrifices entire areas to the extraction of fossil fuels and does not take any responsibility for the consequences. Also not for climate change", Code Rood said in a statement. "We show that resistance is possible if people join forces and form a front together."

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