With riot police on strike, Amsterdam bans upcoming Covid lockdown protest | NL Times - ANP/NL Times:
December 31, 2021 - "The city of Amsterdam, along with the local divisions of the police and Public Prosecution Service, announced it will ban a protest against the country’s coronavirus measures that was set to happen on Sunday. The demonstration was organized by Samen voor Nederland, or Together for the Netherlands in English, and was to take place at Museumplein. Earlier, the organization said it expected 25,000 demonstrators, [and] intend[ed] to march through the city....
"Despite the lockdown, the city and local authorities were willing to allow the demonstration on the conditions that a maximum of 3,500 people [would] demonstrate, that no march takes place, and the event is of a limited duration.... The organization refused to cooperate by guaranteeing a safe and orderly demonstration, the city said.... The city also said that the police have strong indications that individuals and groups intend to disrupt public order on Sunday, and are prepared to use violence ... something which happened at a demonstration against coronavirus rules in November in Rotterdam. That incident erupted in violence, with offenders throwing rocks and fireworks at police, and police officers firing their service weapons at rioters....
"The ban on the demonstration comes a day after the police unions announced that the riot police will stop working during the demonstration in Amsterdam on Sunday. The intended labor action is part of the Wake-Up Call 2022 series of strikes by police union members to draw attention to police capacity problems."
Read more: https://nltimes.nl/2021/12/30/riot-police-strike-amsterdam-bans-upcoming-covid-lockdown-protest
Anti-lockdown protester mauled by dog in clash with riot police in Amsterdam | Metro - Gergana Krasteva:
January 3, 2022 - "Thousands of people defied a ban on large gatherings as they took to the streets of the Dutch capital on Sunday.... Clashes erupted after the city’s mayor Femke Halsema issued an emergency ordinance empowering the force to clear the central Museum Square. Shocking pictures and videos show police dogs [biting] protestors, sticking their sharp teeth in their limbs and dragging them on the asphalt. Officers also slammed their batons and shields against the sea of bodies, and used water canons to disperse people....
"The Netherlands went into a sudden lockdown on December 19 to prevent a fresh wave of Omicron cases overwhelming its healthcare system. Schools, non-essential shops, restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and theatres were all closed, with plans not to reopen until at least mid-January.
"In a sign of opposition against the government, anti-lockdown protestors ... ignored the order not to hold a march and walked along the main square. Most of them did not wear masks or abide by social distancing rules while they yelled, played music and held yellow umbrellas."
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