Dutch police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday. Around 1,500 demonstrators blocked a highway, and a police car was set on fire during the unrest, which led to thirty arrests and injuries among two officers.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence, labeling it as completely unacceptable. Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right party PVV, who was invited to speak at the protest, also denounced the violence, attributing it to idiots that do not represent the movement's objectives.
The protest was organized by right-wing activists demanding tougher migration policies, asserting the need to clamp down on asylum seekers. Violence erupted when a significant number of protesters, many displaying Dutch flags and symbols associated with far-right groups, confronted security forces.
Protesters also vandalized the D66 party headquarters, resulting in extensive damage. D66 leader Rob Jetten urged the crowd to stay away from political parties, insisting that the extremists would not intimidate them.
This unrest follows a previous political crisis, where the Dutch government collapsed after a dispute over asylum policies and the withdrawal of Wilders' party from the governing coalition.
