The protests yesterday ground much of the North to a halt
A young farmer was arrested yesterday in the province of Groningen after blocking an ambulance with his tractor during Thursday’s farmer protests. The ambulance drove with flashing lights and was in a great hurry, but the farmer refused to leave the area and refused to give way. Dutch people are increasingly criticising farmers who are radicalising in their protest actions against a new nitrogen policy.
The police arrested the 17-year-old tractor driver on Wednesday-evening because he was impeding an ambulance on the A7 between Beerta and Scheemda, said the police report on Twitter.
The ambulance was driving a patient on the highway with flashing lights. The moment the ambulance went to pass the agricultural vehicles, it was prevented from doing so by a tractor. A collision was only prevented because the ambulance driver made an emergency stop.
Later in the evening, the 17-year-old man from the municipality of Westerkwartier was arrested for his involvement in the incident. The ambulance driver has already indicated that they will make a complaint.
During the farmers’ protest, the police continuously warned protesters to give emergency services more room in the event of an emergency. Hard action would be taken to prevent interference, including charging those responsible in a court of law.
Image via Wikimedia user HijnFrans. License here.
