Climate activist Greta Thunberg was taken into custody twice by law enforcement at a protest in the Netherlands, where she and a group of demonstrators obstructed a main road to oppose fossil fuel subsidies.
Police reported that over 400 individuals were apprehended on Saturday, with 12 of them charged with incitement. Activists later confirmed that Thunberg had been released.
The 21-year-old Swedish activist was initially arrested by local police and briefly detained along with other protesters who attempted to block a major highway into The Hague.
Following her release, Thunberg promptly rejoined a small group of protesters who were obstructing a different road leading to the railway station. It was there that she was detained for a second time and taken away in a police van.
Many of our rebels have been arrested (some multiple times). A few rebels are still in custody, and we hope they will be released soon. We will not give up.
We are unstoppable, fossil subsidies are not.
See you next time at #A12! #StopFossieleSubsidies pic.twitter.com/VUgduNI3PO
— Extinction Rebellion Nederland (@NLRebellion) April 6, 2024
Hundreds of protesters marched from The Hague’s city centre to the nearby A12 arterial highway, which links the Dutch government’s seat with other cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.
The demonstration was organized by the Extinction Rebellion (XR) environmental group and was part of a strategy to exert pressure on the Dutch government ahead of an upcoming debate on fossil subsidies in June.
Dozens of police officers, including some on horseback, prevented the group from accessing the motorway, cautioning that “violence could be used” if the marchers attempted to enter the road.
Carrying XR flags and placards that read, “Stop fuel subsidies now!” and chanting “The planet is dying!”, protesters engaged in a tense standoff with police who formed a barrier.
‘Planetary emergency’
Prior to her temporary detention, Thunberg participated in the chants and slogans.
She told…
Post from www.aljazeera.com