Police used water cannon at XR demonstration on A12; The Hague mayor defense police action

The police deployed water cannons on Saturday against several thousand Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists who were blocking the Utrechtsebaan since noon. This happened on the last section of the A12, which ends in The Hague. Around 5:10 p.m., the police began to break up the demonstration.

Nu nog staan arrestanten met natte kleding al uren buiten op de binnenplaats vh politiebureau in Den Haag. Er zijn grote zorgen over hun gezondheid. @POL_DenHaag @OM_DenHaag @NLRebellion @HSPDenHaag @jan_vanzanen https://t.co/FbKr66kQME

— Ineke van den Brûle (@inekevdbrule) March 11, 2023

The mayor had given permission to use water cannons borrowed from Germany "to ensure the safety of police and emergency services" with the "spray", reported the municipality of The Hague. "We do this to peacefully discourage activists from staying there," a police spokesperson said.

A number of protesters followed police requests to leave the square. But many stayed on or around the highway or climbed trees or lampposts. As a result, the police visibly carried some people away.

The activists cheered every time they were sprayed with water, some were even deliberately seeking the water spray. Most of the activists were either sitting or standing in the street and wearing ponchos. Protesters had earlier tried to block the water cannon. In a speech, an activist called for people to lie down and protect their heads when the water cannon is being used.

Around 6 p.m., the police began clearing the A12 highway in The Hague. The climate protesters were taken off the highway and put on buses. They were then taken into custody, police reported. At that point, there were about a hundred protesters still on the street. In addition, a group of several hundred sympathizers were still standing along the street cheering on the XR activists.

The municipality of The Hague requested that the demonstration should end by 5 p.m. "After that, the police will take measures to clear the area," it said. Some activists chained themselves together. "The goal is to clear the street before nightfall," the municipality announced on Twitter on Saturday.

Om 17.00 uur moet de demonstratie op en rondom de weg bij het Malieveld zijn ontbonden. Daarna zal de politie maatregelen nemen om de omgeving vrij te maken.

— Newsroom Den Haag (@Newsroom070) March 11, 2023

Activists of the Extinction Rebellion who got wet by the water cannon were able to get dry clothes from the fire brigade. The municipality of The Hague informed that the fire brigade set up a tent in the Zuid Hollandlaan in The Hague as a precaution. There, the demonstrators were also able to get medical care.

The fire department and GHOR provided support to the police, reported the fire brigade Haaglanden. For example, the so-called basic decontamination unit of the fire department was on site to provide care. "In a first tent, the condition of the demonstrators is first examined and checked to see whether there are signs of hypothermia. Dry clothes are then offered in another heated tent, and protesters are taken to the hospital or go home, depending on their condition."

Many protesters sat on the ground wrapped in ponchos or gold rescue blankets to keep warm.

A picture that speaks a thousand words.... https://t.co/GwRzOQzovY

— Dr. Aaron Thierry (@ThierryAaron) March 11, 2023

According to Extinction Rebellion, several activists have become hypothermic due to their wet clothing. "The fact that so many people are willing to stay on the A12 while the police deploy water cannons shows the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis," said an XR spokesperson.

Also Andy Palmen, director of the climate protection organization Greenpeace, criticized this police action. "The use of water cannons against peaceful demonstrators who stand up for a livable planet breaks all boundaries." "This is unacceptable and not befitting a city that stands for peace and justice, " Palmen said.

The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen found it sad that the police had to intervene to break up the Extinction Rebellion (XR) demonstration on the A12 highway in the Hofstad.

However, van Zanen stressed that blocking the highway is not part of the right to demonstrate. XR thinks otherwise. "The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that demonstrating is allowed 'within sight and sound' of those against whom the demonstration is directed," it was written in their press release.

Extinction Rebellion had not reported the blockade of the A12 to the municipality in advance. It was the sixth time that the climate action group blocked the Utrechtsebaan, the start of the A12 in The Hague.