Violence erupts at right-wing demonstration in the Netherlands ahead of election
Thousands protested for stricter immigration laws in The Hague, escalating into violence with 30 arrests and two police injuries, weeks before the Netherlands’ snap general election.
- Dutch police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday, with around 1,500 people blocking a highway crossing the city.
- Thirty people were arrested and two officers were injured as large groups clashed with police, throwing rocks and bottles, and smashing the windows of a political party headquarters.
- Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the “shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence”, saying it was “completely unacceptable” and the work of “idiots”.
The Hague – A large demonstration against the current asylum policy in the Netherlands has escalated. Thousands of people gathered in The Hague on Saturday (September 20) to protest the acceptance of refugees. However, the initially planned protest quickly turned violent as groups of participants threw stones, bottles, and fireworks at emergency services and set fire to police vehicles. Police responded with water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
According to Dutch media, around 1,500 people blocked the A12 motorway before moving into the city center. There, windows at the party headquarters of the social-liberal Democraten 66 (D66) were smashed, and construction sites around the historic Binnenhof were damaged, according to the daily newspaper De Volkskrant . In total, more than three dozen arrests were made, and several officers and journalists were injured. Police announced they would analyze footage and identify other rioters.
Violent riots in the neighboring country: Migration protests escalate in the Netherlands
After the initial riots, groups moved from Malieveld, the central demonstration square in The Hague, into the city center. There, severe property damage occurred, particularly at the D66 party office. The “Binnenhof Renovation” project also confirmed damage to the gates and barriers of the historic parliament building, according to De Volkskrant . Authorities described the situation as having transformed from a protest into widespread unrest within minutes.
According to police, around 30 people were initially arrested, including several suspected ringleaders. Investigators announced they would vigorously prosecute, especially targeted attacks on security forces and the press. On Sunday, authorities clarified the figures: 37 were arrested, of which 27 remain in custody. Four police officers and seven journalists were injured, reports the Algemeen Dagblad (AD) .
Right-wing extremist symbolism in The Hague – organizer distances herself, Wilders condemns
Numerous right-wing extremist symbols were seen among the demonstrators. Particularly striking were orange, white, and blue prince’s flags, which were used by the Dutch National Socialist Socialist Party (NSB) during the Nazi era and are now popular in right-wing circles, according to Reuters . Banners bearing the words “Remigratie” (German: “Remigration”) also appeared – a slogan that stands for the repatriation of migrants and has been circulating in the scene for years.
The organizer, who appears on social media as “Els Rechts,” publicly distanced herself from the violence after the incidents. “If I had known this beforehand, I would never have organized it,” she explained on Platform X. However, she had openly called for support for the right-wing populist PVV beforehand, mobilizing a large following, notes the Dutch daily NRC . PVV leader Geert Wilders also spoke out, condemning the riots: violence against police officers was “completely unacceptable” and the attackers were “idiots.”
