XR stages protests across Netherlands targeting fast fashion and McDonald’s supplier

Extinction Rebellion (XR) staged coordinated protests Saturday at multiple locations in the Netherlands, targeting fast fashion, McDonald’s European supplier, and British government policies related to Palestine, Noordhollands Dagblad reports.

In Arnhem, XR activists poured black sludge into the entrance of a The Sting clothing store. The group said the action condemns the overproduction of "fast fashion," specifically synthetic clothing made from petroleum. According to XR, these garments are low-quality, poorly recyclable, and environmentally damaging. “Buying new clothes is deadlier than cigarettes,” one activist told Noordhollands Dagblad. XR assured the black sludge is artificial and easily washable.

Police intervened after a short period, removing protesters from the store, as shown in a livestream by XR. A police spokesperson confirmed two arrests for vandalism at the Arnhem location following reports by De Gelderlander.

In Amersfoort, small groups of XR protesters blocked entrances to Havi Logistics on Zonnecel street, the European distributor for McDonald’s. Some activists chained themselves to fences.

The protest targets McDonald’s Israeli branch, which XR accuses of providing free meals to Israeli soldiers involved in what they call "government genocide" in Gaza. Protesters displayed banners with slogans such as “McGenocide,” demanding McDonald’s withdraw from Israel.

Meanwhile, in The Hague, XR demonstrated at the British embassy to protest “genocide in Palestine” and the UK government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action UK. The UK government classified Palestine Action as a terrorist organization following acts of vandalism at a Royal Air Force base and imposed a ban on the group.