THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Several thousand climate activists blocked a Dutch highway on Saturday in anger at billions of euros in government subsidies for industries that use oil, coal, and gas — before police dispersed them with water cannons.
A report earlier this week detailed 37.5 billion euros ($40.5 billion) in such subsidies in the Netherlands, notably related to the shipping industry, prompting calls for a quick halt to the practice.
The protesters, consisting of groups like Extinction Rebellion and Greenpeace, forcefully broke through a police barrier on Saturday morning and occupied a major road in The Hague leading to the temporary venue for the lower house of parliament.
They assert that they will continue their demonstration until the subsidies are revoked, and have vowed to return each day if the police forcibly remove them.
“This issue is of global significance and exceeds any individual concerns. It affects the entire world,” stated activist Yolanda de Jager passionately.
The activists creatively displayed signs bearing slogans such as “Fossil Fuel Subsidies are Not Cool,” warning that the extreme temperatures experienced worldwide this summer exemplify the future consequences if fossil fuels are not abandoned.
After several hours, police intervened and dispersed the crowd with forceful blasts from water cannons, forcibly removing and detaining some protesters using specialized orange wagons.
Protesters at the forefront defiantly raised their fists or shielded themselves from the water jets, while those further behind danced and jumped gleefully under the refreshing spray on an unusually hot September day in the Netherlands.
This roadblock serves as part of a ongoing series of protests led by Extinction Rebellion targeting the Dutch parliament.
The report, released on Monday, indicates that the Dutch government allocates billions of euros in subsidies to industries reliant on fossil fuels. The report was by The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, and Oil Change International.
Despite being regarded as a frontrunner in renewable energy and progressive climate policies, Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten acknowledged the need to end fossil fuel subsidies but did not provide a timeline for their termination.
The report urges lawmakers to begin phasing out these subsidies prior to the country’s general election on November 22.
Another protest is scheduled for Sunday.
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Angela Charlton in Paris and Ahmad Seir in The Hague contributed to this report.
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For AP’s coverage on climate and the environment, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
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