EXPLAINER: Why Are Dutch Farmers Protesting Over The Dutch national police stated that they will enforce standard traffic rules. [35] Similarly, Ipsos' July survey found that public understanding for the farmers' protests had entered a downward trend,[165] which continued in August and September 2022. The first protest in 2020 was on the 19th of February. Even the radical Farmers Defence Force thought the blockades went too far and discouraged farmers from demonstrating at distribution centers. And it is the farming sector that is going to bear the brunt of emissions cuts. The PVV of Geert Wilders, Forum voor Democratie and CDA were invited. Some have been organized by people who view the measures as an attack on workers rights and small businesses. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. In recent weeks, farmers have blocked off food distribution centres with hundreds of tractors, blockaded major roads and turned up outside regional assemblies and ministers homes to protest. Dutch government plans to drastically cut emissions of nitrogen pollution have cleared a key hurdle. Their son, currently studying at an agricultural high school, is rethinking his life-long plan to become a farmer. [26][27] The protests combined several action groups and an amalgamation of larger goals, which included less government regulation for farmers, more air time for pro-farmer sentiments, and more policy to punish Shell and Tata Steel for their part in the emission crisis. July 6, 2022 10:17 am CET. It has to happen.. [41], On 16 October, protests were organised by Farmers Defence Force, and started at the RIVM building in Bilthoven, later moving to the Binnenhof in The Hague[41] as well as the central train station of the city. [135], On 19 February 2023, deputy prime minister Sigrid Kaag was confronted by pro-farmer protesters in Diepenheim, Overijssel, where she was campaigning for D66 in the upcoming provincial elections. The country has the seventh biggest livestock population in the EU but is comparatively small in size. Especially during this COVID pandemic, it is risky to do this now. An increase in the global population of methane-belching cows, now over a billion-strong, has doubled atmospheric levels of the potent greenhouse gas since 1900. [180], Not all home visits have been tolerated, however; a man wielding a torch and using menacing language outside the residence of minister Sigrid Kaag in January 2022, for example, was sentenced to five months in prison for threats of violence, incitement, and disruption of the democratic process. In the years following the Second World War, during which the country suffered a famine due to Nazi blockades, Dutch farmers led a drive to increase the amount of food that could be grown on their relatively small territory. [185], The new right-wing populist FarmerCitizen Movement (Dutch: BoerBurgerBeweging; BBB) of agricultural journalist and former CDA member Caroline van der Plas achieved major victories in the provincial elections and water board elections on 15 March 2023. [106], Initially, a large-scale protest was planned for 22 June in The Hague, but this was moved to Stroe, Gelderland to conduct a more positive demonstration. [179], Visits by groups of farmers and pro-farmer activists to the businesses and private residences of opposing or dissenting politicians and activists revived the public debate about the limits of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and the right to protest.
Dutch farmers' protests - Wikipedia [1/3] Dutch farmers protest against government policies to limit nitrogen emissions in The Hague, Netherlands March 11, 2023. Natasja Oerlemans, head of the food team at WWF Netherlands, stresses that while the charity is keen for farmers to have a good income and positive social role, this does not mean a high livestock density. Its not about saving the environment. "[154], Following the protests on 16 October 2019, during which four people were arrested for assaulting and disobeying the police, prime minister Mark Rutte of the VVD indicated that protesters must adhere to the rules. Write to Ciara Nugent at ciara.nugent@time.com. Jetten and fellow politicians responded that, despite the activists' supposedly good intentions, it was highly inappropriate (and even intimidating) to visit the private addresses of politicians you disagree with, unannounced and in the dark of night.
Dutch [153], Jan Brouwer, director of the Center for Public Order and Safety, felt that the violent protests in Groningen on 14 October 2019 "exceeded the limits of the right to demonstrate." Protesters are demanding an end to fuel tax exemptions for oil refineries and coal plants, introduced to avoid double taxation, as well as exemptions for the aviation and shipping industries that were agreed at the EU level. Thousands of farmers have gathered in the central Netherlands to protest against the Dutch governments plans to rein in emissions of nitrogen oxide and Look down on them. Scientists say dealing with climate change will require not just gradual reform, but a rapid, wholesale transformation of the global food system. [43] The RIVM's findings coupled with De Groot's policy proposal led to resistance by Farmers Defence Force, a farmer activist group. [156], Following the initial protests on 1 October 2019, the farmers enjoyed broad popular support among the Dutch population,[157] and farmers' demonstrations were facilitated by local officials, such as the mayor of The Hague. Ultimately only FvD and CDA were allowed by Farmers Defence Force to speech on stage. It comes as authorities in the Netherlands have released details of the cuts in ammonia, nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide needed to protect more than 150 nature reserves in the country. WebRT @DeepBlueCrypto: Farmers protest in Netherlands is not about the climate change. Geert Wilders was rejected by the leaders of the FDF. 'De boer dat is de keerl' van Normaal hl hoog in Top 2000", "Woensdag geen massaal boerenprotest in Den Haag", "Trekkers al onderweg voor nieuw boerenprotest Den Haag", "Boeren protesteren in 'gemoedelijke sfeer' tegen kabinetsbeleid", "Farmers Defence Force wil woensdag geen tractoren op snelweg", "Boze boeren laten zich door niemand dirigeren", "Arrestaties bij boerenprotest in Den Haag", "Tijdelijke regeling krachtvoer voor melkvee in kader van stikstofaanpak", Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, "Defensie naar Den Haag om binnenstad af te zetten", "Vijftig boeren gearresteerd bij protest Wijster, Schouten zegt werkbezoek Zeeland af", "Verbod trekkerprotesten in regio IJsselland na nieuwe boerenacties", "Trekkers niet meer gedoogd op Brabantse snelwegen", "Boeren op tractoren onderweg naar Vrijthof in Maastricht", "Leden Farmers Defence Force brengen Rob Jetten thuis voedselpakket", "Twee aanhoudingen tijdens boerenprotest in Den Haag, boeren rijden toeterend langs Huis ten Bosch", "Boze boeren laten in Den Haag opnieuw hun sporen achter: 'Mensen voelden zich gentimideerd', "Burgemeester Zwolle wil landelijke regels voor boerenprotesten: 'Grens overschreden', "Blokkade boeren van distributiecentrum Jumbo Breda, waren bij huis Jumbo-directeur", "Nieuw boerenprotest, landbouw in bepaalde gebieden verder in het nauw", "D66 kreeg boeren weer op de kast, maar er is 'geen kwaad woord gevallen', "Weghalen of laten hangen? [126] Another farmer was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, a suspended 60 days prison term, and a claim of damages amounting to 3,600 euros. The Netherlands. Manure. [160] The protests at Eindhoven Airport and threats to block food distribution centers further eroded popular support. It wont be the last. Police used water cannon to disperse a group of about 100 of the activists late in the afternoon. [128] Consequently, authorities confiscated six vehicles and arrested five protesters. Pollution reduction projects were largely put on hold, while existing regulations were no longer strictly enforced. Heavy rains continue to hit Japan, suspending some trains, After rough start, UN plastic treaty talks end with mandate for first draft, 3M reaches tentative $10 billion pollution settlement with US cities, Bloomberg reports, Boeing CEO says fixing supply chain constraints is 'frustratingly slow', JPMorgan president says loan demand declining, US economic slowdown weighs, Walmart reiterates goal of doubling international gross merchandise in five years, Disney removes some produced content from its direct-to-consumer services. Its about bankrupting the farmers so they can [61] Soldiers were employed to block off streets in order to prevent escalation of the protests. No other sector has reduced nitrogen in the last 30 years [as much as] we have. Between 1990 and 2010, considerable progress had been made in reducing agricultural pollution, during a series of coalitions between centre-left and centre-right parties. 31 May 2023 21:32:30 This is the first time the government has been willing to take ambitious, comprehensive measures, she says. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Toby Sterling The latest government coalition has not, so far, been dissuaded by the protests from its drive to tackle the countrys environmental problems. [132], On 23 September, ten farmers who had participated in the violent protests at the home of minister Van der Wal on 28 June were sentenced to community service orders of 60 to 100 hours, eight of whom also received suspended prison terms of up to a month. But far-right figures and conspiracy theorists have also gotten involved. More than 1,500 people have been arrested during a demonstration by the Extinction Rebellion climate group in The Hague, Dutch police Dutch police fired shots at tractor-riding farmers who were protesting against plans to cut nitrogen emissions on Tuesday evening in northern Netherlands. [188] By comparison, the left-wing political alliance of PvdAGroenLinks won 14 seats and coalition party VVD held on to 10 seats.[189]. Nitrogen crisis and farmers' protests. "[171], From the first farmers' protest on the Malieveld on 1 October 2019, small numbers of vegans and animal rights activists have staged counter-demonstrations. In the evening, there were also protests at the homes of minister Van der Wal and CDA MP Derk Boswijk. The European Unions executive arm gave the green light THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Thousands of farmers and anti-establishment demonstrators protested Saturday in a park in The Hague against Dutch government plans to reduce nitrate emissions, while climate activists angry at what they call state support for the fossil fuel industry broke through police lines and blocked a major Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. All Rights Reserved. The Netherlands. Elshof, who marched in a June protest but hasnt joined the more disruptive efforts, says governments and climate advocates hoping to enact environmental reforms need to communicate better and offer more support if they want farmers to make a rapid change. This is all being taken away. long roads and bridges in the Netherlands, people are hanging the Dutch flag upside down. The Double Health Risk of Heat and Pollution, The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election, 2023 TIME USA, LLC. [30][31] By July 2020, 55% of people responding to a survey by current affairs program EenVandaag did not support further protests, but just over half of the respondents did remain sympathetic to the farmers. 2 minutes read. Twitter is filled with posts linking the Netherlands nitrogen policy to the Great Reseta theory that claims international elites are trying to use the COVID-19 pandemic to establish an authoritarian global government.
Dutch plan to cut nitrogen emissions gets EU green light The animal rights and vegan activists found little understanding from the protesting farmers and were even seen as partly responsible for their difficult situation, threatened, spat on, and pelted. 05 July 2022 Violent farmer protests in the Netherlands Dutch farmers have expanded their protests against new regulations aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide This gives it Europes highest livestock density, with insufficient land to make good use of the waste from more than 100 million cattle, chickens and pigs. This is not a democracy any more: its a dictatorship, says Jeroen van Maanen, a farmer with 130 cows in Zeewolde, central Netherlands, who has joined the protests. [101][102] The government's proposal aims to halve nitrogen oxide and ammonia pollution in the country by 2030. [137] Prime minister Mark Rutte publicly disapproved of the protesters' actions, calling them "rude, inappropriate, and unacceptable",[138] and second deputy prime minister Wopke Hoekstra considered the event an "absolute disgrace". Activists blocked [41], In addition to the nitrogen emission crisis, Dutch news media have reported that farmers have felt disrespected or threatened in their existence because of increased government regulation on the agricultural and livestock sectors, as well as the popularity of animal rights activism among the Dutch population. In reaction, environmental activists began to sue the Dutch state, demanding that the laws would be upheld. [134], A group of farmers from Batavia handed out fruit and vegetables at the market of Nijmegen on 29 October 2022 to "help people with small incomes in the current time of rising energy bills" and to renew attention for the farmers' discontent with nitrogen-related legislation. [73], On 13 December, in a surprise protest, Farmers Defence Force blocked the roads to Eindhoven Airport for several hours, leading to severe traffic jams throughout the eastern part of Brabant. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw. March 11, 2023, 1:17 AM. The pro-farm protesters carried banners reading "No farmers, no food," and "There is no nitrogen 'problem'" during the peaceful demonstration organised by the Farmers' Defence Force group. Protests resumed on 28 June. Farmers in Spain, Ireland, and New Zealand have all staged demonstrations in their capitals to challenge green reforms in the last few years. Angered, Snijders stated that a line had been crossed: "After two major blockades at this distribution center, I have now reached the point that I can not let this go on. As thousands of farmers in the Netherlands protest the governments plans to slash emissions that livestock produce in their waste, old and out-of-context footage is [130], A threatening situation arose during a provincial agricultural commission meeting in Zwolle on 21 September, where plans regarding the protection of the Natura 2000 area Bergvennen en Brecklenkampse Veld were being presented for a vote.
Louis T. Getterman IV on Twitter: "RT @DeepBlueCrypto: Dutch farmers' protest party scores big election win, shaking [173], With the return of largescale farmers' protests in the summer of 2022, threats against agricultural businesses and interest groups also appeared on social media. The FDF reached out to the farmers and asked them to adhere to the rules. It claimed that the institute had used "shady methods" to "portray" farmers as big time polluters. [114][115][116] Riot police were called into Heerenveen and deployed tear gas to break up protests. They are right-wing nationalists and comparable to Nazis towards animals. [41] Thousands of farmers went to The Hague to protest, their tractors causing over a thousand kilometres of traffic jams. Upcoming Election on the 15 March 2023 . [56][57][58] This was condemned by LTO Nederland. [72] The potential blockings were quickly denounced as illegal. Elsewhere in the city, thousands of environmentalists blocked a major thoroughfare in an unauthorised protest against tax rules they say encourage the use of fossil fuels. Member of parliament Tjeerd de Groot did not need security during his visit to the protest, for instance, and he was able to freely converse with the farmers, unlike eighteen months earlier. [127], On 20 September, tens of farmers attempted to enter the city center of The Hague with their tractors to protest during Prinsjesdag, in defiance of a state of emergency declared for the duration of festivities. 4,500 customers did not receive their orders from Albert Heijn and 1,700 from Jumbo. [108] It became one of the largest farmers' protests with tens of thousands of attendants. [29], In October 2021 (with polling taking place between 6-20 September), 38% of pollees in a survey by I&O Research indicated that they fully supported the farmers' protests. Investors who earned easy money with high-risk bonds invented after the financial crisis are being forced to accept that the rules have changed: they may not get paid. [136] Kaag attempted to engage the torch-wielding group in conversation and later concluded that those present had been out to intimidate her. Inside Story Why are farmers in the Netherlands angry? [118] On the same day, the A37 motorway was briefly blockaded with tractors, resulting in a 2-kilometre traffic jam. Weve proposed all kinds of solutions but we are ignored. The Netherlands has a significant agrarian and livestock sector, which produces and transits large quantities of agricultural exports. But unions said they didnt consider the mediatora member of Prime Minister Mark Ruttes partyindependent. Het is vooral een hoop branie', "Hoe het stikstofgedrocht groeide en ter wereld kwam", "Zorg LTO om oproep extreme dierenactivisten", "Factsheet dierenrechtenacties in de agrarische sector", "Boerenprotest was weliswaar niet strafbaar, 'maar wel intimiderend', "Half jaar cel voor man die met fakkel bij huis van Sigrid Kaag stond", "Vijf maanden cel voor man die met fakkel bij huis Kaag stond", "Meerdere Kamerleden thuis bezocht door boze boeren D66-politicus De Groot kan niet naar zijn huis in Friesland door intimidatie", "Gentimideerd via Whatsapp en thuis bezocht: boerenleiders in het vizier van radicale boeren", "Farmers' protest party win shock Dutch vote victory", "Preliminary figures show BBB also performs well in water board elections", "Eerste Kamer: BBB de grootste, verlies coalitie", "Why Tucker Carlson and the global right wing have taken up the cause of Dutch farmers", "Far right movements pick up on Dutch farmers' protests", "If you haven't heard of this yetbuckle up", "Hoe het Canadese mediaplatform Rebel News het boerenprotest uitmelkt", "Noord-Amerikaanse mediaplatformen eigenen zich het Nederlandse boerenprotest toe", "Jeff Brain: The Global Farmers Protest Will Be 'Largest Push For Freedom In History', "Op de Dam is de 'demonstratie van de eeuw' voor Nederlandse boeren (alleen wisten de boeren van niets)", "Paar duizend demonstranten bij protest met tractoren en vrachtwagens op de Dam", "Protesters gather with tractors and trucks on Dam Square in Amsterdam", "Donald Trump expresses support for Dutch farmers in speech denying climate change", "Europe's right wing piggybacks on Dutch farmer protests", "Dutch farmer protests reap populist support", Protests of Dutch farmers against nitrogen policy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dutch_farmers%27_protests&oldid=1158414577, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing explicitly cited English-language text, Articles with empty sections from August 2022, Articles to be expanded from February 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Fewer or no nitrogen-related restrictions on livestock farming, Public respect for the agricultural sector, Agricultural interest groups and individuals. This caused accidents, and motorists who wanted to clean up the waste were verbally abused by the farmers and threatened with violence. [7] It is headquartered in Deventer, Overijssel. Nitrogen crisis and farmers' protests. Even though this First Rutte cabinet proved to be short-lived, it led to a trend break in environmental policy. On 15 July 2022, a video appeared on Twitter, Telegram, and Facebook, calling for worldwide protests on 23 July in solidarity with the farmers. The Netherlands is famous for its highly productive agriculture industry. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts.
More than 1,500 climate activists arrested in Netherlands The Netherlands farmers protests are probably the largest uprising over environmental regulation of agriculture that the world has seen in the climate action era. AMSTERDAM, March 11 (Reuters) - More than 10,000 Dutch farmers protested in The Hague on Saturday against government plans to limit nitrogen emissions, a policy they say will spell the end of many farms and hit food production. Could their Farm groups say the problem has been exaggerated and that the proposed solutions are unfair and ineffective. You can send us your stories and thoughts at animalsfarmed@theguardian.com, Netherlands announces 25bn plan to radically reduce livestock numbers, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. A wave of solidarity protests have taken place in recent weeks, from Germany to Canada. [81] Talks had been planned for the 5th of February, between the minister of agriculture Carola Schouten, prime minister Mark Rutte and the different protest groups. When a new coalition government formed in June this year, they unveiled plans to dramatically accelerate pollution reduction.
Netherlands The Dutch earn more from agriculture than Brazila country whose territory is 205 times larger. [75] The farmers announced protests at 45 different locations, including the Media Park in Hilversum. Wybren van Haga, leader of Belang van Nederland, proposed tougher sentences for "extremists who terrify hardworking farmers" and supports adopting right-to-farm laws similar to the 'Right to Farm Policy' in New South Wales, Australia,[178] which could see offending activists jailed for up to three years and fined up to 13,433. This may have been because, according to the FDF, the trade association Central Bureau for Food Trade (CBL) had threatened to take the FDF to court and have its members pay for damages. However, the protest did not take place on the Malieveld in The Hague, because the city of The Hague and Staatsbosbeheer kindly asked them not to. [186][187], Following the Senate election on 30 May, the BBB under former VVD alderwoman Ilona Lagas entered the Senate with 16 seats, becoming the largest party.
Farmers protest Agricultural minister Schouten condemned actions that affected "ordinary people who work and do their grocery shopping" and that the security regions should tackle this. Despite discouragement from LTO Nederland, arriving and departing farmers again drove their tractors on the highways. [140] The dispersed nature of these demonstrations and ongoing threats against FarmerCitizen Movement leader Caroline van der Plas, who did not attend the event due to concerns for her safety,[141] led to Agractie and LTO Nederland disavowing support and participation. [125] At least one farmer was caught in flagrante and received a community service order of 80 hours, a suspended prison sentence of one week, and a claim of more than 3,000 euros for expenses incurred by the Rijkswaterstaat. Whats driving the dispute? Tractors have blockaded roads, and slurry has been dumped at the Albert Heijn was temporarily unable to supply 230 stores due to the blockade. [168], As early as December 2019, the NCTV reported on attempts at cross-pollination between the protesting farmers and anti-government agitators, which had already contributed to radicalization in Drenthe and Groningen. That meant rolling out greenhouses, vertical farming, and other efficiency-improving technologies, and also cramming in 238 cows per square mile as of 2021, compared to around 100 in the U.K., and 81 in Germany. Moreover, according to him, the protest was disorganized, people did not adhere to the COVID guidelines and the police had to intervene.
Dutch Farmer Protests Show How Messy Climate Action Will Be #NoFarmersNoFood .
Netherlands Farmers [180] There was general consensus that the action was not punishable, but it was considered intimidating and agreed on that debate should not be conducted in the private sphere of politicians and other involved parties. [120][121] On 22 July, the Dutch Department of Justice announced the start of a criminal investigation into the incident, concerning whether the actions of the officer in question constituted attempted murder. 32% did not support the farmers' protests, 27% were neutral, and 3% were unsure. In October 2020, the NCTV warned that the grievances of the farmers had been co-opted by conspiracy theorists and political extremists[170] who had also become a driving force behind the nascent COVID-19 protests. The Farmer-citizen [50] When arriving at designated location, the Malieveld, the protesters damaged the area, driving through fences and signs[51][52] and destroying the landscape. In July, about 39 percent of Dutch people said they supported the farmers protests, down from 45 percent the month before, according to a survey by a Dutch The former is a pollutant that can leak into air and water, harming local wildlife. The photo [68] Next to that, Van den Oever stirred great controversy while comparing the situation of the Dutch farmers to that of the persecution of Jews during World War II. The world now wants us to see ourselves as keepers of the environment and natureand thats so new, she says. [29][159] On 13 December, comments made by Farmers Defence Force spokesperson Mark van den Oever, comparing the treatment of farmers to the persecution of Jews during World War II, were widely condemned. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks.
Farmers' protest party win shock Dutch vote victory - BBC News Magazines, Digital [98] Protests at the Malieveld were more peaceful than before. During a protest Monday, a group of | EJAtlas. We know exactly what allowance each farmer has and what they produce, while a lot of industrial companies dont need permission but they emit nitrogen.. [62] This was a reaction to the violence the farmers employed in Groningen during previous protests. [72] 15% did not want any more protests at all.
protest As a result, the Frisian province revoked the law. [41] The government repudiated the accusations of using "shady methods" being used by the RIVM and claimed the numbers were correct. According to article 285b of the Criminal Code, "infringing someone's privacy" is punishable,[181] although in practice it turned out to be difficult to legally distinguish the private sphere from the public space. Dutch farmers strongly mobilized against green reforms enacted by the [65] One farmer declared we want to come out on top, insinuating this meant better policy.[65]. [161], EenVandaag reported that around half of the respondents to its opinion polls had "a lot or quite a bit" of understanding for the farmers' actions on 19 February and 14 July 2020. The Netherlands.
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