The municipality of Utrecht was prepared on Saturday for “multiple scenarios” regarding the prohibited demonstration against the corona measures on Jaarbeursplein, a municipality spokesperson reported to NU.nl.
“We have seen on social media that people still plan to come to the demonstration despite the ban, but how many people that will be is unclear,” said the spokesman.
The police have also received signals that things could get restless on Saturday. A police spokesperson cannot say anything about the size of the police deployment, but she says that there are at least officers on the spot to monitor the situation.
“We will constantly monitor whether people are there with the wrong intentions or want to demonstrate.” The police also placed fences around the Jaarbeursplein on Saturday morning.
Before the demonstration of action group Netherlands in Revolt was banned, about fifteen hundred people would have registered via Facebook. The action group demonstrates for freedom and against the one and a half meter society. The protest was scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM.
Demonstrator calls not to provoke
The organizer of the demonstration calls on people who want to come to Jaarbeursplein on Saturday to demonstrate peacefully. “Don’t be provocative, don’t be challenged and if an emergency order comes, don’t get arrested; get out of the way. Listen to who’s in charge,” said the organizer on Facebook.
The demonstration of action group Netherlands in Revolt was banned on Thursday. The municipality and the police had received signals that various groups of people wanted to use the demonstration to cause serious disturbances.
The triangle (Mayor, Public Prosecution Service and police) regrets that the demonstration due to the “threat of violence” could not go ahead and thus the fundamental right to demonstrate cannot be implemented.
–
