OM extends area ban on climate activists until court ruling in July

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has extended the area ban on five climate activists from Extinction Rebellion until the court can decide whether they have committed a crime. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office confirmed this on Sunday, after the climate action group itself had reported on this.

Until the court's ruling, the climate activists are not allowed to take action on the Utrechtsebaan, the beginning of the A12 highway in The Hague. According to the prosecutor's office, the hearing of the climate activists will take place on July 19, with the verdict to follow two weeks later. In the meantime, Extinction Rebellion (XR) has already rededicated this section of the highway for a demonstration at the end of May.

Previously, eight activists were banned from entering the area for calling to join XR's blockade of the A12 on January 28. Ultimately, the court ruled that this ban was justified in five of the eight cases. Four climate activists already received a letter from the prosecutor's office extending their so-called behavioral injunction last Thursday, XR reported. The OM said the extension applies to all five activist.

The OM considers Extinction Rebellion's blockade "dangerous and disruptive." The eight climate activists were therefore arrested before the demonstration. That they called via social media to also participate in the blockade would be incitement of the people, according to the OM.

Willem Jebbink, lawyer for Extinction Rebellion, believes it is unjust that the area bans were extended. "None of the many hundreds of demonstrators who participated in the past actions on the A12 have been prosecuted. Nor have they received a rayon ban. By imposing such a measure on five out of hundreds, the prosecutor's office is acting inconsistently, arbitrarily and disproportionately," he said.