Emergency order in Apeldoorn over social media call to free arrested farmers

Mayor Ton Heerts of Apeldoorn implemented an emergency order for the entire city on Wednesday evening after a call on social media for as many people as possible to go to the Apeldoorn police station to free two farmers who were arrested on Monday evening. The night passed quietly in Apeldoorn, and there were no disruptions around the police station, a police spokesperson said to NOS on Thursday.

The emergency order took effect at 8:30 p.m. The measure allows the police to preventively search people, close roads, and evacuate areas. Anyone who doesn’t leave despite requests from the police can be arrested. The municipality lifted the emergency order at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday.

The Gelderland police said on X that they had taken “various measures” after signals of a possible disruption of public order. According to the Gelderlander, there were many police officers at the Aepledoorn police station, including riot police and police dogs.

The police arrested the two farmers, a 39-year-old man from Klarenbeek and a 35-year-old man from Eerbeek, during farmers’ protests on the A50 highway on Monday. They dumped waste on the highway near Beekbergen and set it on fire.

“Demonstrating is a fundamental right. As long as it remains within the limits of the law,” Mayor Heerts said on Wednesday. “We do not allow blocking of roads, arson, and (threats of) disruption of public order and safety. The many indignant reactions from society clearly show that with these types of unlawful actions, you lose all understanding and support. The actions of the past few days no longer have anything to do with freedom of expression.”

There were more farmers’ protests in the Netherlands on Wednesday night. Farmers set fires on the A28 near Staphorst and left manure on the road.

On Wednesday, Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz, the police, and the Public Prosecution Service (OM) agreed to act more directly against protesters who break the law. That followed criticism from parliamentarians after apparently little intervention in Monday night’s farmers’ protests, during which farmers set multiple fires, lit fireworks, and dumped waste - including asbestos - on multiple Dutch highways.