Video: Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt Defense Minister’s speech in Wageningen
The National Celebration of Liberation in Wageningen was disrupted Monday morning when protesters interrupted a speech by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, shouting pro-Palestinian slogans and breaching security barriers. The police arrested five people in connection with the incident, according to NOS.
The interruption occurred during the annual ceremony on the 5 Mei Plein, part of the nationwide May 5 celebrations marking the end of the Nazi occupation in the Netherlands in 1945. The event, broadcast live on NPO 1 and online, is one of the central moments of the country’s Liberation Day commemorations.
During Brekelmans’s speech, several demonstrators climbed over fences and entered the square, shouting “Free Palestine.” At least one individual walked directly onto the 5 Mei Plein while the minister was speaking. Law enforcement officers quickly intervened and removed the protesters from the area.
According to the police, the demonstrators had breached barriers to access the square. In total, five people were taken into custody for their actions during the protest. Authorities have not yet released further details about the charges.
Brekelmans briefly paused his speech several times during the disruptions as the situation was brought under control. At the conclusion of his address, the minister responded to the incident, saying: “I say this also to the people we just saw here: let’s hold onto each other tightly and not let ourselves be divided—that is what we must all do.”
The demonstration followed earlier protests that morning in Wageningen, where more than 100 people demonstrated against the attendance of political leaders, including Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Tweede Kamer Speaker Martin Bosma.
