Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Police guard in a detention center
Police guard in a detention center - Credit: Photo: Politie
Crime
Politics
Coronavirus
lockdown
social distancing
Amsterdam
museumplein
demonstration
protest
public violence
police
arrests
Monday, 18 January 2021 - 07:41
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

143 arrested at illegal Amsterdam protest

A total of 143 people were arrested during an illegal demonstration on Museumplein in Amsterdam on Sunday. Fifteen of them are suspected of public violence and still in custody. The rest were charged with ignoring police orders and sent home, the Amsterdam police said on Twitter.

Around 2 thousand people gathered on Museumplein on Sunday afternoon to protest against the measures in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The municipality of Amsterdam previously banned the demonstration, citing concerns for public health and public order.

At 1:45 p.m. the police ordered the crowd gathered on the square to go home. When there were still some 2 thousand people on the Museumplein at around 2:00 p.m., the municipality issued an emergency decree. "The demonstrators still refused to leave and increasingly violated the coronavirus measures," the city said in a press release.

The police intervened in phases, the city said. First they ordered demonstrators to go home and issued warnings. After multiple warnings, the police used a water canon to disperse the crowd. After that, it was still necessary for the riot police to perform charges to get demonstrators off the square, the city said.

"Among the demonstrators there was a group of 200 to 250 people who were clearly out for confrontation," the city said. "Stones were taken from the street and thrown at officers. Some also carried boxing gloves, weapons and fireworks."

The police managed to restore calm in the city center by early evening.

According to the municipality, demonstrating and freedom of expression are fundamental rights that the city won't limit lightly. When banning the demonstration on Museumplein, the city offered the organizers the alternative of 500 protesters in Westerpark. "This is because of the possibility to close the park and properly control the influx of the participants."

The organizers, Nederland in verzet, refused the alternative and took the matter to court. The court ruled on Friday that the municipality was within its rights to ban the organization on Museumplein.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • No Amsterdam-London trains for months next year due to maintenance work
  • Protected bats hindering Dutch government's plans to insulate 2 million homes by 2030
  • Drag queens to lead Utrecht Pride boat parade in protest against anti-LBTQIA+ violence
  • Amsterdam cops arrest 55 in Red Light District case targeting street drug dealers
  • Cybersecurity firm Fox-IT could disappear from Netherlands in reorganization: report
  • Dutch tank delivery to Ukraine may be impacted by Swiss parliament vote

Top stories

  • No Amsterdam-London trains for months next year due to maintenance work
  • Renewable energy rose slightly to 15% in the Netherlands in 2022; Halfway towards target
  • Jumbo stopping Max Verstappen sponsorship after this Formula 1 season
  • Wettest spring since 2006; Good for groundwater levels
  • Ajax coach John Heitinga out as team's manager after worst finish in 14 years
  • Defense attorney Inez Weski, who represented Ridouan Taghi, to be released from jail

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content