They were arrested, but the Public Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute them: the more than 1500 climate protesters who blocked the A12. It led to great frustration from the police. President of the police union Jan Struijs and VVD MP Ingrid Michon join Op1 together with Extinction Rebellion activist Hannah Prins and lawyer of the activist group Willem Jebbink.
1587 climate protesters were arrested on Saturday, but no one was sentenced, much to the dismay of the police. “Some demonstrations are prosecuted and others are not,” says Jan Struijs. “And we still get a lot of demonstrations in the Netherlands. The police want clarity to legitimize their action. If that is not there, you will get dissatisfied.”
“These are just violations. People who, after a claim, do not leave a highway that you are blocking. Normally you just get a fine. It is an illegal demonstration. They do it to draw attention, the police understand that. But the moment you start to violate very consciously, and then persist in doing so, and then do not prosecute, then you get a kind of precedent. The next protester will therefore block a national highway.”
Auxiliary officer thanks activists
One of those arrested was climate activist Hannah Prins. ”The assistant district attorney said to me: ‘I have to arrest you, but before that I just want to say that you are doing the right thing. I know why you are here. You are here for our future. You are here for my children and grandchildren, so thank you for what you do.”
Watch the entire conversation here.
2023-05-30 09:09:27
#Arrested #climate #protesters #prosecuted #dismay #police #Op1
