Fences with black screens placed above Utrechtsebaan against planned XR protest

Fences with black screens were placed above the Utrechtsebaan in The Hague, part of the A12 highway, on Friday. They are used to prevent people driving on this road from coming into contact with the demonstrating climate activists down in the tunnel. Extinction Rebellion supporters plan to block the highway daily starting Saturday to protest government support of the fossil fuel industry.

Vanaf 9 september om 12:00 uur blokkeren wij met duizenden de A12. Zolang de uitstoot van broeikasgassen niet stopt, wordt de aarde steeds heter. Toch steekt de regering nog altijd tot 30 miljard in fossiele subsidies! Dit moet stoppen!

Meer info: https://t.co/Hi0w3WVHUy pic.twitter.com/UY0YMUJa9z

— Extinction Rebellion Nederland (@NLRebellion) August 28, 2023

The fences with black screens were also in place during previous blockades in March and May. This was in response to the highway blockade in January. At that time, many hundreds of climate activists demonstrated on the highway. They chanted, shouted slogans, and hung banners on the railings.

The section of the highway the activists want to block is next to the Tweede Kamer and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. The climate action group Extinction Rebellion wants the government to stop measures that support the fossil fuel industry.

In general, the Hague can expect two climate protests on Saturday, both on the A12 and a little further on the Laan van Reagan and Gorbachev. Action group Extinction Rebellion (XR) has announced that it will again block the section of the highway leading into the city starting at noon. Dozens of other organizations, including Greenpeace and Environmental Defense, are holding a simultaneous "support demonstration" for sympathizers, who do not plan to go on the A12.