XR blocks A12 in The Hague, Greta Thunberg to join climate action

Extinction Rebellion wants to block the Utrechtsebaan (A12) in The Hague for the 37th time on Saturday to protest against government support for the fossil fuel industry.Climate activist Greta Thunberg will also take part in the blockade, according to the climate action group.

According to XR, Thunberg will join the protest because she will announce new international actions against governments that make it cheap and easy for large businesses to use fossil fuels on a large scale by giving them tax breaks and discounts on excise duties. At noon, the climate activists will march from various locations in the Hofstadt to the A12.

"Companies such as Shell, Tata Steel and KLM receive huge discounts on the use of oil, gas and coal in the Netherlands. This amounts to between 39.7 and 46.4 billion euros per year in the Netherlands alone. Globally, the IMF reserves an amount of $7 trillion for 2022. In this way, the use of energy sources whose emissions drive the climate and ecological crisis is supported and stimulated," the action group stated in their press release.

At the end of March, climate activists from XR tried to block the A10 in Amsterdam near the former ING headquarters on the Zuidas. However, the blockade failed, and the police arrested more than 25 people.

Last November, Swedish activist Thunberg attended a climate march in Amsterdam. Tens of thousands of people took part in this. A man then interrupted the climate activist's speech after he had spoken about the war in Gaza. The man said he had come "not for a political rally."