Thousands of anti-racism demonstrators took part in protests in Leiden, Wageningen, Alkmaar, Almere and Deventer on Sunday, as the Black Lives Matter movement continues its spread across the Netherlands.

In Leiden, some 2,500 people took part in the rally and in Almere, the demonstration had to be moved to a new location because so many people turned up. In Alkmaar between 750 and 1,000 people attended.

In Deventer, the mayor invoked his emergency powers after reports that right-wing gangs were planning to break up the demonstration, but in the end the event passed off peacefully, local broadcaster RTV Oost said.

Meanwhile in The Hague, police broke up a demonstration of around 350 people who had gathered on the Plein by parliament carrying placards stating ‘100% anti antifa’ and ‘all lives matter’.

The demonstration was ended because the protestors were not keeping to the 1.5 metre social distancing rule, local broadcaster Omroep West said.