Mass arrests following motorway climate protest near Utrecht

Police have arrested around 400 people after the A12 motorway near Utrecht was blocked by a climate change demonstration on Friday.

Protestors from groups including Extinction Rebellion and Debt for Climate (D4C) occupied the road in protest against the government’s ongoing subsidisation of fossil fuels, which amounts to over €46 billion per year.

A number of cars were initially used to block the motorway, after which roughly 150 protesters lay on the tarmac. By 3.15pm, police had dragged all protesters off the roads, and arrested some two hundred more that were headed to join the demonstration.

All were released without charge, except the six occupants of the cars that started the roadblock, who were held in custody. The vehicles were also seized.

The police said in an official statement they have “no understanding” of why the demonstrators would do this, branding their actions “extremely dangerous”.

Fossil fuel subsidies

According to the cabinet, €39.7 to €46.4 billion euros go to subsidies for fossil fuels every year (including excise exemptions for petrochemical companies). The protestors say that money should be used for housing, healthcare, decolonial reparations and debt relief.

Extinction Rebellion has blocked the A12 dozens of times since late 2022, mostly on the stretch running past the parliament near The Hague. Previous demonstrations have led to over 16,000 arrests, according to activists.

The fossil fuel subsidy figures cited by the cabinet cover tax breaks, government investment and other indirect support for industries that use oil, gas and coal – mostly energy tax exemptions for shipping, aviation and large industrial users including steelmakers, oil refineries and horticulture.