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COVID demonstrations in the Netherlands are violent overnight | Coronavirus Plague News

New clashes have erupted in the Netherlands over the Dutch government’s crackdown on coronavirus, with protesters throwing stones and police and firefighters at The Hague.

Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday night, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.

Five police officers were injured, and at least seven people were arrested.

Violence erupted again in the central town of the “Bible Belt” in Urk and the cities south of Limburg, with angry fans disrupting two open-air football matches due to coronavirus rules, according to Dutch media.

The first match in the western city of Alkmaar and in the eastern city of Almelo, between AZ-NEC and Heracles-Fortuna Sittard had to be suspended for several minutes, Dutch media reported.

The riots came a day after police fired on protesters in Rotterdam when the mayor of the port city called a “violent riot” that erupted during a protest against the COVID-19 ban.

At least three people were injured and 51 were arrested in Rotterdam.

It was one of the worst incidents of violence in the Netherlands since the coronavirus was introduced last year. In January, riots erupted again with police and a fire broke out on the streets of Rotterdam after a curfew began.

Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus condemned the incident.

“Violence and horrific violence against the police, the police and the firefighters last night in Rotterdam are disgusting,” he said in a statement.

“Protesting is a great freedom in our area, but what we saw last night is terrorists. It has nothing to do with demonstrations,” he added.

An independent investigation into the police shootings was opened, as is the case with Dutch police using their weapons.

The Netherlands reintroduced closure measures last week for the first three weeks to reduce the recurrence of coronavirus, but daily infections have skyrocketed since the outbreak began.

The Dutch government is now planning to ban uninfected people from entering other areas, called 2G channels.

Opponents dance during protests against COVID-19 methods in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 20, 2021 [Eva Plevier/ Reuters]
Demonstrators gather at Cafe del Mondo during anti-COVID-19 protests in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 20, 2021 [Eva Plevier/ Reuters]

In The Hague on Saturday, a pizza shop owner told the AFP news agency that police had dragged several people out of his shop, smashed a glass in his door and hit him on the head “for no reason”.

“These people are arguing about 2G and shutting down,” said Ferdi Yilmaz. “He’s angry with them.”

AFP reporters also reported seeing police arrest several people in the Schilderswijk area of ​​The Hague, while plainclothes police officers sometimes dragged a woman into a car.

In a statement, The Hague police said the five injured police officers, one who went to the hospital in tears and two others who were wounded in the ear due to a loud bang.

The stone thrown violently shattered the window of the ambulance that was passing the patient, he said.

Earlier on Saturday, peaceful protests involving thousands of people against coronavirus attacks took place in several cities.

In Amsterdam, thousands of protesters turned up in the middle of Dam Square, though one group canceled their rally because of last night’s violence.

The march remained peaceful, with many police officers on duty.

Another thousand passed through the southern city of Breda near the Belgian border, carrying placards with the words “No Lockdown”.

The organizers said they were opposed to Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s demands that they not take unarmed people into bars and restaurants.

“People want to live, and that’s why we’re here,” said Joost Eras, a planner.

But “we are not. We have come in peace, ”he said.

Around him, the tradition was a celebration, with some demonstrators dancing behind the floors carrying DJs, called “party buses”.




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