They even broke into Groningen Airport Eelde and drove up the runway
Dozens of farmers noisily invaded, and then campaigned on the Grote Markt on Thursday evening. The police and the municipality spent hours trying to prevent the farmers from driving into the center of the city, eventually failing.
The farmers were protesting against proposed cattle feed measures, suggested by Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture. Her proposals looks to stop cattle from receiving less protein concentrates in their feed. This provides would cut nitrogen emissions in the short term. However, according to the farmers the welfare of the cows, which are kept captive to produce food, would be compromised, reports the GIC.
Because a debate on the cattle feed measure was planned in the House of Representatives on Thursday evening, action was taken by farmers in various places in the country. The first tractors arrived in the city from around 20:00. The police and the municipality tried to stop the farmers at Emmaplein and Bedumerweg, however understandably couldn’t stop tens of huge tractors.
However, the farmers wanted to go into the city. According to the municipality, there was no stopping them at around 22:00, so the farmers could drive onto the Grote Markt. Around fifty tractors and vehicles took part.
At Groningen Airport Eelde, action was also taken by about fifty farmers with their tractors. In the end, about twenty farmers even drove up the runway around midnight, causing damage.
The action has had little result. In the Lower House debate, Minister Schouten announced that he wanted to stick to the action for the time being. She must, however, have her plans recalculated by the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
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