Police in the Netherlands took action on Monday to put an end to protests by farmers that had caused traffic disruptions throughout the country. The farmers had been blocking exit roads of highways and setting fires along those roads in response to low prices for their produce, rising costs, cheap imports, and EU environmental regulations.
The farmers’ demonstrations, which had been ongoing since last week, were fueled by frustration and anger. Images of the protests circulated on social media, showing burning piles of hay and tires at various locations in the Netherlands.
Authorities stated that they were working to disrupt the protests and apprehend those engaging in illegal activities. However, they acknowledged that it was challenging to keep up with the widespread disruptions. The police force in the province of Gelderland issued a statement highlighting the unsafe situations caused by the protests.
On Monday, farmers from Belgium and the Netherlands used tractors to block the Dutch-Belgian motorway border crossing between Maastricht and Liege. Similar actions had taken place on Friday at various border crossings. The protests in these countries mirrored demonstrations by farmers in other parts of Europe in recent weeks.
Reporting by Bart Meijer and Geert De Clercq; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Stephen Coatees
