Pressmediaofindia
Related Articles
23-09-2025
THE HAGUE: Dutch police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday.
Thirty people were arrested and two officers injured as large groups of people clashed with police, with some throwing rocks and bottles.
Around 1,500 people blocked a highway crossing the city, while a police car was set on fire, the Netherlands news agency reported, citing police figures.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the “shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence”, saying it was “completely unacceptable”.
Right-wing leader Geert Wilders, who won the previous election in the Netherlands and has retained his lead in opinion polls ahead of a 29 October vote, was invited to speak at the demonstration but did not attend.
Instead he also condemned the violence against police as “utterly unacceptable”, saying it was the work of “idiots”.
The protest was organized by a right-wing activist, demanding stricter migration policies and a clampdown on asylum seekers.
Violence erupted when large groups of protesters, many waving Dutch flags and flags associated with far-right groups, confronted security forces.
Protesters also smashed the windows of the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party, viewed by many on the far right as a party that serves a progressive elite.
D66 leader Rob Jetten said the damage inside was extensive and told the protesters to “stay away from political parties”.
“If you think you can intimidate us, tough luck. We will never let extremist rioters take away our beautiful country,” he said on social media.
Nobody was present in the D66 offices at the time of the protests, according to party officials cited by ANP.
The Dutch government collapsed in June after Wilders withdrew his far-right PVV party from the governing coalition following a row over migration.
The dispute came after Wilders pushed for 10 additional asylum measures, including a freeze on applications, halting the construction of reception centres and limiting family reunification. The governing coalition was in place for less than one year.
In June, the Dutch government has collapsed after Geert Wilders withdrew his far-right party from the governing coalition following a row over migration.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed he was stepping down on Tuesday and offered the resignation of the cabinet to King Willem-Alexander.
In televised remarks following an emergency cabinet meeting, Schoof said Wilders’ decision to withdraw the support of his PVV party was “irresponsible and unnecessary”.
“As far as I’m concerned, this shouldn’t have happened,” he added.
The governing coalition was in place for less than one year.
The row which led to its collapse came after Wilders pushed for 10 additional asylum measures, including a freeze on applications, halting the construction of reception centres and limiting family reunification.
Schoof had made a last-minute appeal to coalition party leaders on Tuesday morning but the meeting lasted just one minute before Wilders walked out, ending the coalition. “No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition,” said Wilders on social media.
There was shock and anger among political leaders, many of whom pointed out that several of Wilders’ demands were similar to policies already in the coalition agreement, and that they would not stand in the PVV’s way to implement them. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
