There will be no national ban on tractors during farmers’ protests. That says Hubert Bruls, chairman of the Security Council, Monday evening after the consultation between the 25 security regions.
“We have found that it is a good way to refuse vehicles in demonstrations under certain circumstances,” said Bruls. But he says it is not necessary to implement such a ban across the country.
“Then you will also shoot at something that is not there. In some regions there have been no farmer protests at all, or it has been very orderly,” said the chairman of the Security Council, who is also mayor of Nijmegen.
However, the security regions will meet with the police and the Ministry of Justice and Security this week to make national agreements on how to maintain the demonstrations of farmers that will go well.
For example, according to Bruls, it is important to enforce the prohibition of driving on motorways in the same way. “That increases the effectiveness and credibility of government action.”
National agreements before new farmers protests
Consultations with the police and justice are still this week to ensure that agreements have been made before farmers may come up with new protests.
Farmers Defense Force (FDF) has given agriculture minister Carola Schouten a week to wipe off a feed measure that reduces cows’ nitrogen emissions and if not, they will demonstrate again. According to FDF, “the whole of the Netherlands will contribute” to reducing nitrogen emissions.
“We have to draw a line under it”
Bruls says that he attaches great importance to the right to demonstrate, but he believes that this should be handled correctly. “The way some farmers handle it is really irresponsible.”
“I get questions from people about why they (the farmers, ed.) Can do things that someone else is not allowed to do. People are just right about that,” says Bruls. “Not announcing a demonstration, ranting with vehicles and doing things that are dangerous and upset all traffic. We really need to draw a line under that.”
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