Dutch police use water cannons and arrest 2,400 climate activists

THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Dutch police used water cannons to disperse thousands of climate activists who were protesting on a highway in the Netherlands on Saturday to demand an end to government subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.

More than 10,000 people walked along the A12 highway leading to The Hague, ignoring warnings from the authorities that the main traffic artery leading to the headquarters of the Dutch government was closed.

[1/6]People react to water cannons, as climate activists block the A12 motorway in The Hague, Netherlands, September 9, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Woo Obtain licensing rights

The police said in a statement that they arrested 2,400 demonstrators, including minors. There were no reports of injuries.

Extinction Rebellion, which organized the event, said it would continue organizing protests until the Dutch government stops using public funds to support the oil and gas industry.

The crowd, which included children and the elderly, chanted, “The seas are rising, and so are we.”

Reporting by Piroschka van de Woo; Writing by Anthony Deutsch, Editing by Thomas Janowski and Chizuo Nomiyama

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