Utrecht protests end without major incidents despite three arrests
Demonstrations in Utrecht on Sunday passed without major incidents, police said, though three arrests were made. One arrest was for fireworks possession, and two for insulting police officers, authorities said. Overall, the city described the events as orderly.
According to RTV Utrecht, about 200 people gathered at Moreelsepark for the “Together Against Fascism” rally, while roughly 40 anti-immigration demonstrators met at Park Paardenveld. The city had heightened the security for the demonstrations, with police authorized to conduct preventive searches between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sunday.
The Moreelsepark demonstration followed the cancellation of a previously planned anti-immigration protest in the city center. Police monitored social media for potential participants, and Mayor Sharon Dijksma designated Moreelsepark as the location, banning the proposed march through the city. Organizers challenged the decision in court, but the ruling upheld the city’s safety measures.
Police maintained a large presence, including preventive searches in the city center. Members of the far-right group Voorpost were escorted under heavy police supervision to Park Paardenveld. Demonstrators chanted messages including “Then not, now not, never again fascism” and the Italian antifascist song “Siamo Tutti Antifascisti.”
Groups were kept separate to avoid clashes. Minor incidents, such as police temporarily removing a protester with a sign from the crowd, occurred without escalation.
