Police put an end to protest against coronavirus measures in Barneveld

Police intervened in a march against coronavirus measures in Barneveld by the Police for Freedom on Saturday. Hundreds of people had taken part in the illegal demonstration.

The Mayor of Barneveld, Jan Luteijn issued an emergency order Saturday morning after word got out that an illegal protest would take place in the municipality. The location of the unregistered demonstration was kept secret by its organizers until 10 a.m.

“The demonstration was not announced 48 hours in advance so that we would have been able to come to a compromise together”, spokesperson for the municipality, Cindy van Harmelen said to the Barneveldse Krant. “There is also no space. It is already busy in the center due to mother’s day and part of the Koewei at De Schaffelaar castle has been reserved for a church meeting.”

Nonetheless, hundreds of protestors met at De Schaffelaar castle equipped with yellow umbrellas, drums, banners and flags. From there they marched through the village in Gelderland.

Protestors were given one and a half hours to disperse. Many participants chose to stay at which point the police and riot squad intervened.

A previous march by the Police for Freedom on April 10 in Baarn attracted around two thousand participants. The mayor of the village in Utrecht decided not to intervene and instead allowed for the march to continue under police surveillance.