Covid-19: Thousands gather in Amsterdam to protest lockdown despite demonstration ban

Under the lockdown, all non-essential shops are closed along with bars, restaurants and venues

By AP

Published: Sun 2 Jan 2022, 5:30 PM

Thousands of people in the capital of the Netherlands defied a ban and gathered Sunday for a demonstration against the Dutch government’s coronavirus lockdown measures before police pushed the crowd off an Amsterdam square.

The local government had outlawed the protest, saying police had indications some demonstrators might be planning to attend “prepared for violence.”

The municipality later issued an emergency order for people to leave Museum Square, and riot police marched across the grass to clear the area, sending the demonstrators into nearby streets.

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Before officers moved in, some participants unfurled a banner that read, “Less repression, more care” near the Van Gogh Museum. A group of people in white overalls and white masks held up signs, including one that said: “It’s not about a virus, it’s about control” on one side and “Freedom” on the other.

There was a heavy police presence on the square and in nearby streets. The municipality designated the area as a security risk region, giving police the authority to frisk people preventatively.

The demonstration came on the same day Dutch police said they would take action to protest the increasing demands of their work. Union representatives have said riot police would continue to work, if necessary.

Coronavirus infection rates have been gradually decreasing for weeks in the Netherlands, which re-introduced lockdown measures in November and tightened them further during the holiday season.

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Under the lockdown, all non-essential shops are closed along with bars, restaurants and venues such as museums, theatres and cinemas.

In November, a coronavirus demonstration erupted into violent rioting in Rotterdam and demonstrations on Museum Square have ended in confrontations between police and protesters who ignored orders to leave the area.