Thousands gather in Amsterdam despite demonstration ban
Thousands of people in the capital of the Netherlands have defied a ban to gather for a demonstration against the Dutch government’s coronavirus lockdown measures
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Thousands of people in the capital of the Netherlands defied a ban and gathered Sunday for a demonstration against the Dutch government's coronavirus lockdown measures before police pushed the crowd off an Amsterdam square.
The local government had outlawed the protest, saying police had indications some demonstrators might be planning to attend “prepared for violence.” The municipality later issued an emergency order for people to leave Museum Square, and riot police marched across the grass to clear the area, sending the demonstrators into nearby streets.
Before officers moved in, some participants unfurled a banner that read, “Less repression, more care” near the Van Gogh Museum A group of people in white overalls and white masks held up signs, including one that said: “It's not about a virus, it's about control” on one side and "Freedom" on the other.
There was a heavy police presence on the square and in nearby streets. The municipality designated the area as a security risk region, giving police the authority to frisk people preventatively.
The demonstration came on the same day Dutch police said they would take action to protest the increasing demands of their work. Union representatives have said riot police would continue to work, if necessary.
Coronavirus infection rates have been gradually decreasing for weeks in the Netherlands, which re-introduced lockdown measures in November and tightened them further during the holiday season.
The 7-day rolling average of new daily cases edged slightly lower over the past week to 85.55 new cases per 100,000 people even as the omicron mutation became the nation's dominant variant.
Under the lockdown, all non-essential shops are closed along with bars, restaurants and venues such as museums, theaters and cinemas.
In November, a coronavirus demonstration erupted into violent rioting in Rotterdam and demonstrations on Museum Square have ended in confrontations between police and protesters who ignored orders to leave the area.
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
____
Corder contributed from The Hague Netherlands.