A mass anti-immigration demonstration in The Hague erupted into violence on Saturday, with protesters clashing with police, torching a patrol car and vandalising a political party’s headquarters. Authorities confirmed that 30 people were arrested and two officers injured as the unrest escalated across the Dutch city just weeks before a snap election.
Around 1,500 demonstrators gathered in the Malieveld district demanding tougher asylum policies, many of them waving Dutch and far-right flags. What began as a rally quickly descended into chaos when groups hurled bottles and stones at officers, blocked a highway and set fire to a police vehicle, according to ANP news agency. Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannon in a bid to regain control.
Political parties targeted
The violence spilled into the city centre, where protesters smashed the windows of the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party, a frequent target of far-right anger. “Scum. You keep your hands off political parties,” D66 leader Rob Jetten wrote on X. “If you think you can intimidate us, tough luck. We will never let extremist rioters take our beautiful country away.”
Nobody was inside the offices at the time, though the party later reported extensive damage. Justice Minister Foort van Oosten condemned the assaults on police as “absolutely unacceptable,” writing: “Demonstrating is a great thing in the Netherlands, but hands off our officers!”
Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the scenes as “shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence,” and vowed that prosecutors would ensure rioters face justice.
Election backdrop
The protests were organised by right-wing activists amid growing anger over migration, an issue that has already toppled the Dutch government. The coalition collapsed in June after far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his PVV party out in a dispute over asylum policy.
Wilders, who remains ahead in polls ahead of the 29 October election, had been invited to speak at Saturday’s rally but did not attend. Instead, he condemned the violence as the work of “idiots” and “scum,” adding that blocking highways and attacking police was “utterly unacceptable.”
Former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, now leader of the Labour-Green alliance, compared the scenes to “Trumpian conditions, fuelled by politicians who sow fear and division,” urging citizens not to remain silent.
Around 1,500 demonstrators gathered in the Malieveld district demanding tougher asylum policies, many of them waving Dutch and far-right flags. What began as a rally quickly descended into chaos when groups hurled bottles and stones at officers, blocked a highway and set fire to a police vehicle, according to ANP news agency. Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannon in a bid to regain control.
Political parties targeted
The violence spilled into the city centre, where protesters smashed the windows of the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party, a frequent target of far-right anger. “Scum. You keep your hands off political parties,” D66 leader Rob Jetten wrote on X. “If you think you can intimidate us, tough luck. We will never let extremist rioters take our beautiful country away.”
Nobody was inside the offices at the time, though the party later reported extensive damage. Justice Minister Foort van Oosten condemned the assaults on police as “absolutely unacceptable,” writing: “Demonstrating is a great thing in the Netherlands, but hands off our officers!”
Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the scenes as “shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence,” and vowed that prosecutors would ensure rioters face justice.
Election backdrop
The protests were organised by right-wing activists amid growing anger over migration, an issue that has already toppled the Dutch government. The coalition collapsed in June after far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his PVV party out in a dispute over asylum policy.
Wilders, who remains ahead in polls ahead of the 29 October election, had been invited to speak at Saturday’s rally but did not attend. Instead, he condemned the violence as the work of “idiots” and “scum,” adding that blocking highways and attacking police was “utterly unacceptable.”
Former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, now leader of the Labour-Green alliance, compared the scenes to “Trumpian conditions, fuelled by politicians who sow fear and division,” urging citizens not to remain silent.
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