Police briefly detained lingering trucker convoy protesters in The Hague

Police detained members of the “Convoy for Freedom Netherlands” at the Cars Jeans Stadion in The Hague Sunday morning, after they had been given “ample opportunity to leave,” Omroep West reports. Truckers were initially not allowed to take their vehicles back into the city center to join today's protest against Covid restrictions, but now the city has changed this announcement.

The unannounced trucker demonstration, patterned after Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” protests, occupied the city center in The Hague Saturday. Protesters opposed the government’s adherence to Covid regulations and held up traffic in the city. Trucks were ordered out of the city center but we’re told the could stage at the stadium, which is home to the ADO Den Haag football team. The mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, later canceled the demonstration and gave protesters until 3:30 p.m. Saturday to leave.

Although some protesters did leave The Hague, part of the convoy stayed overnight at ADO stadium and announced they would protest again Sunday. Police first secured their vehicles to prevent them from returning to the city center, but later a spokesperson for the mayor said they would be allowed to park their vehicles on the Boorlaan next to Malieveld, if they wish to join in the demonstration later today.

Another group, Nederland in Verzet, will demonstrate against Covid restrictions this afternoon in The Hague. The organization expects 25,000 protesters to show up, Omroep West reports. Participants will march along a route starting and ending in Malieveld. A similar protest organized by Nederland in Verzet happened last week in Rotterdam.