400 climate activists arrested at XR blockades in The Hague, Greta Thunberg released

Police arrested about 400 climate activists during the XR blockade in The Hague on Saturday. Most of them were arrested for violating the law on public demonstrations. Twelve people were arrested when they tried to block the A12 highway. Among other things, they did not comply with an order or did not want to identify themselves.

Extinction Rebellion wanted to block the Utrechtsebaan (A12) on Saturday afternoon, but the police stopped them early on. Later, the activists blocked roads at several other locations in the city.

Among the demonstrators was Greta Thunberg, who was detained twice. The first time she was taken away was on a city bus after joining a blockade on Zuid-Hollandlaan. Later in the afternoon she also joined a blockade on Koningskade, after which she was put in a detainee bus. However, the police confirmed that all demonstrators arrested for violating the Public Manifestations Act have now been released, including the Swedish climate activist.

Thunberg told ANP on the phone from the bus that her arrest was peaceful. "But that's not the point, I'm here for the climate goal," she said. Thunberg said she felt she was able to get her message across well in The Hague. "People have been promised action for decades. It just doesn't happen. We'll see if it succeeds now."

Thunberg joined the protest to announce new international actions against governments, making 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. Around noon, the climate activists marched 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.