Farmers started new, uncoordinated actions against the cabinet’s nitrogen plans on Monday afternoon. First, the A67 highway from Eindhoven to Venlo near Liessel was blocked with tractors and hay bales. Protesters removed road signs along the highway that read the speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour.
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The police had previously advised the angry farmers not to block highways, because then traffic could be endangered. They were threatened with fines. One of the farmers takes it for granted: “I don’t have fines, they are destroying my company and that will cost me millions.” The criticism that road users experience this inconvenience was met with a shrug of the shoulders. The action was called ‘bitter necessity’ by one of the farmers: “Sometimes you have to. Hopefully we have the public with us.”
“We have been harassed for years ourselves,” one of them responded. “We have been too nice for too long. We will only stop when the minister has resigned.” Others find it sufficient when the plans are off the table. The cabinet’s proposals have failed, because they could lead to a significant reduction in the number of farms. This would be necessary to save nature.
ALSO READ: New farmer actions on Monday: ‘Everything that has wheels will roll’
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