Tens of thousands join third ‘Red Line’ protest in Amsterdam against Gaza war

Tens of thousands of demonstrators dressed in red gathered at Museumplein in Amsterdam on Sunday for the third “Red Line” protest, demanding that the Dutch government “stop the genocide and end the occupation of Palestine."

The large-scale protest began at 1 p.m. with a stage program featuring several speakers, including former minister and women’s rights activist Hedy d’Ancona. Around 1:45 p.m., participants began marching through Amsterdam. The weather is expected to stay gray and drizzly, with occasional light rain possible.

Many protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners reading “food not bombs,” “DOE IETS” (“do something”), and “stop killing children.” Chants of “free, free Palestine” and “stop the genocide” echoed across the square. Protesters of all ages attended, according to reporters from the Dutch news agency ANP.

According to RTL, among those in the crowd were relatives of Dutch citizens who were on board the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces last week. Ketziot Prison in Israel's southern Negev desert currently holds the Dutch detainees.

Organizers said they once again expected a massive turnout in Amsterdam, emphasizing their demand for concrete action “to stop the Israeli genocide and the occupation of Palestine.”

The Red Line movement, which has organized three major protests within six months, has drawn increasingly large crowds. The first two demonstrations in The Hague attracted roughly 100,000 and 150,000 people, respectively, according to organizers.