Mayor Femke Halsema has major concerns about the announced demonstration by Extinction Rebellion on the A10 near Zuid on December 30. The VUmc hospital is close to the location. “How far do people want to go? That question is emphatically on the table. The staff and patients of the VUmc should not be hindered and it should not lead to longer arrival times,” Halsema said in the General Affairs Committee this afternoon.
According to Halsema, a possible blockade of the A10 will have major effects on Amsterdam and safety. “It will seriously disrupt the city. I have concerns about that. Also about the safety of patients and other road users, but also about the safety of demonstrators themselves. It is a main road where 100 kilometers can be driven. It carries risks with himself.”
The municipality has official contact with Extinction Rebellion and the hospital. A second conversation will follow with the demonstrators. “The VUmc must always remain accessible, also for the staff. There may be changes among the staff during the blockade. Emergency and emergency services use the road and this should also be possible on December 30,” the mayor said in response to oral questions from councilor Cas van Berkel (JA21).
She continues: “Extinction Rebellion holds disruptive demonstrations to disrupt things. How far do they want to go? That question is emphatically on the table. VUmc staff and patients should not be hindered and it should not lead to longer arrival times.”
Police capacity
There are also concerns among the triangle – the municipality, police and justice – because there may be too few officers available. Halsema: “The police capacity is under pressure. For example, at the end of November we had 23 demonstrations in the city and also in the Netherlands and Ireland. The police were empty at the time.”
There is also a shortage on December 30 due to the preparations for New Year’s Eve. Allowing the blockade would also possibly set a precedent for more demonstrations on the A10. The A12 is frequently blocked in The Hague.
The mayor does not want to anticipate a possible ban, she told the committee. “We are preparing thoroughly. The A10 is not a demonstration location, let there be no misunderstanding about that. We also have a reputation to uphold in protecting the right to demonstrate. We are looking at how the city can not be disrupted.”
Symbolic
Halsema concluded her answers to the oral questions from the committee: “Extinction Rebellion must realize that the location is symbolic. ING has not been there for a long time. Banning something is different from not allowing it to take place. The demonstrators must feel there be aware that it mainly affects residents and patients, while ING is the target.”
2023-12-14 13:49:07
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