Riot police in The Hague clashed with around 500 far-right protesters on Saturday during a rally where antisemitic slogans were chanted. The protesters threw fireworks and projectiles at the police, prompting officers to use batons and specialised dogs to disperse the crowd.
The demonstration, called the “We Are the People” rally, aimed to protest against government immigration policies. Initially, protesters planned to march through the city; however, authorities banned the march after violence erupted in a gathering area. Police ordered the demonstration to disperse.
During the unrest, 24 people were arrested, and water cannons were deployed to control the situation. An investigation is currently underway.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the protesters on X, stating they sought confrontation and used “abhorrent” slogans. Justice Minister David van Weel called for a strong response to the “disgusting scenes,” highlighting that demonstrators had made Nazi salutes and attacked police officers.
This unrest came a year after similar riots during another right-wing demonstration, which saw a police car set on fire and attacks on the D66 party headquarters, led by Jetten.
