XR climate activists want to block A12 in The Hague, about 3000 protesters expected

Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion (XR) plan to block the Utrechtsebaan (A12) in The Hague again on Saturday. It is the seventh blockade of the A12. At the last blockade in The Hague in March, 700 activists were arrested.

The climate action group is demonstrating against fossil fuel subsidies with the blockades on the road between the building of the Tweede Kamer and the Ministry of Economy and Climate. Extinction Rebellion expects about 3,000 people to join the protest. Thousands more are expected at the solidarity demonstration on the viaduct above the A12.

Extinction Rebellion points out that back in 2013, the Netherlands, along with other EU countries, committed to ending environmentally harmful subsidies by 2020. Yet the fossil fuel industry still receives government subsidies. Overall, greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels contribute to global warming.

More than 125 civil society organizations, including Milieudefensie, BIJ1, DWARS, Partos, PAX, Urgenda, and Network Climate FNV support the demand to put an immediate end to all fossil fuel subsidies, according to XR. In addition, an orchestra of 75 musicians will also play the second movement (Allegretto) from Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 on the A12.

Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Anne Kervers is grateful for the numerous support of the organizations and sees it as an urgent sign to end fossil fuel subsidies. “The fact that so many organizations are demanding an end to fossil fuel subsidies and many thousands of people are taking to the streets shows that the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis is widely felt. An end to fossil fuel subsidies is a reasonable and necessary demand, in line with the IPCC report. The government must now stop all fossil subsidies,” she said.