Extinction Rebellion activists sentenced to community service for plans to block highway

Four Extinction Rebellion activists were sentenced to 45 hours of community service by the court in The Hague on Friday. The four intended to block and occupy part of the Utrechtsebaan, the final stretch of the A12 motorway leading into The Hague. A total of 21 people were arrested in the demonstration on October 13, 2021.

The court ruled that the action could have led to a traffic jam on an important access road, and subsequently caused dangerous situations to arise. The court said the police acted correctly in intervening and arresting the activists before it got to that point. The court added that the activists were committed to "a goal worthy of respect in itself, but not by a proper means given the circumstances."

The planned blockade was part of a week of action by Extinction Rebellion. The aim was to cause an "emergency stop" on the motorway where it passes by the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, because they said the global environmental crisis is spiraling out of control, and the government is not doing enough to take action. The four were driving separate cars when they were trapped by police and arrested before they could turn onto the Utrechtsebaan. Information about the protest was received by the police the day before the planned blockade.

It was well prepared and followed a script the activists set in motion. For example, a portable digital traffic warning board was supposed to warn motorists of slow-moving traffic, activists carried flyers with the text "sorry that we are blocking the road," an emergency vehicle was readied, and there were sanitary facilities in the form of a bucket and three rolls of toilet paper. The court ruled that the preparations were not enough to eliminate the danger caused by the action.

Two weeks ago, the Public Prosecution Service had demanded a two-week suspended prison sentences against each of the four in addition to community service of 45 hours. But the court did not find the suspended jail term necessary. After the verdict, the Public Prosecution Service said it would make a decision about how it will proceed with the prosecution of the other seventeen suspects.

The lawyer who was present at the verdict on behalf of the suspects expects they will file an appeal.

Among those arrested that day were two journalists, AD reporter Hans Nijenhuis and ANP photojournalist Marco de Swart, who were covering the event as a news story. They were released after about an hour.