Yesterday, a climate protest by partisan activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) in Rotterdam led to 175 arrests. 🌍
XR members set up camp on one of Rotterdam’s busiest streets, the Weena, and blocked much of the traffic from 12 PM onwards, says the NOS.
When the police called for the protest to end around 3 PM but weren’t met with compliance, the first arrests were made.
Against the fossil fuel industry
The protest was aimed at the fossil fuel industry in the Netherlands. In order to strengthen their blockade, protestors chained themselves to cars and stuck themselves to the street with glue.
Signs read ‘Keep the oil in the ground’ and ‘Let the fossil fuel industry go extinct’, reports the NOS.
The office of oil and gas giant Shell, located nearby, became the target of fake blood attacks. The protest also concentrated around the coal plant Onyx on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam.
175 arrests made
According to the police, repeated warnings were issued before the first arrests were made.
A total of110 protestors were taken into custody in Rotterdam’s centrum. Another 65 were arrested on the Maasvlakte.
The protestors that had glued themselves to the street were approached by the police with Coca Cola and ice scrapers in an attempt to get them to loose. Just another day at the office. 😅
What do you think of this latest protest by Extinction Rebellion? Tell us in the comments below!
