AMSTERDAM (Askume) – Climate activists blocked a major transport artery in the Netherlands on Saturday, the latest in a series of protests against state subsidies for fossil fuels.
Around noon, about 500 workers marched on the highway leading to the centre of The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government, under dim lighting due to the protest called by the strike.
The protesters beat drums, chanted “The sea is rising and so are we” and carried banners that read “Act now” and “Stop fossil subsidies.”
Some protesters brought camping chairs and pitched tents at the site, indicating they planned to stay overnight.
Last year, a government report estimated that industrial companies received more than 39 billion euros ($43.2 billion) in fossil fuel subsidies, much of it in the form of tax breaks. Climate protest group Extinction Rebellion has vowed to continue protesting until the subsidies are eliminated.
The group organised more than a dozen protests at the same location on the A12 motorway last year. In the past, officers have forcibly dispersed protesters after hours and detained those who ignored orders to leave.
However, it was unclear how long the protests would last, as most police were on strike until 5 pm (1500 GMT) on Saturday because of a pension dispute.
The city of The Hague said in a statement that blocking highways was prohibited and protesters should move to larger areas nearby.
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