19 arrested at farmers' distribution center blockade
The police arrested 19 demonstrators, including nine minors, early Thursday morning at a farmers' blockade of distribution centers in Bleiswijk in Zuid-Holland, a police spokesperson confirmed to NU.nl. The mayor called in the riot police after multiple failed attempts to convince the protesting farmers to leave.
The police stepped in and arrested the protesters at around 4:30 a.m. Their tractors were moved to another location, where the farmers could pick them up later.
This was the third night of farmers blocking access to distribution centers on Facetlaan and Laan van Mathenesse. Their blockades made the distribution centers for supermarkets Albert Heijn and Hoogvliet, among others, less- or inaccessible. After the first day of blockades, supermarkets reported already suffering millions of euros in damages as a result.
The blockades form part of the farmers' protest against the government's nitrogen policy. Another group of farmers is protesting on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Thursday morning. According to NU.nl, they have banners saying things like farmers have given up enough.
Farmers were also on Dam Square on Wednesday evening. According to NH Nieuws, there were about 15 tractors and 30 people taking group photos in front of the palace and drinking beer. They had banners with texts like "the war has started, and we are winning."
In various places in Noord-Brabant, farmers set fire to hay bales and tires, according to Omroep Brabant. A pile of tires burned next to the A58 near Moergestel at around 8:00 p.m. There were also fires along the A1 near Holten and the N18 at Haaksbergen, according to RTV Oost. Omrop Fryslan reported fires along the A6 and N359. Rijkswaterstaat reported a fire along the A12 towards Zoetermeer.
