Farmers protesting the cabinet’s nitrogen reduction demands have once again taken to the highways, driving tractors, dumping tires and manure, and laying burning hay bales along the side of the road, as of this morning (27th of July).
According to the ANWB, the A28 between Zwolle and Groningen has come to a complete halt near the municipality of Stadshorst.
“It is not the case that they are driving tractors on the road this time, but they are along the road,” said an ANWB spokesperson, as reported by the Leeuwarder Courant. This time around, the protestors are not forming blockades out of tractors. Rather, they are driving along the side of the highway, where they are dumping burning hay bales. In some places, protestors have been spotted dumping piles of tires in the middle of the highway.
According to the ANWB, despite the lack of a structured blockade, traffic is mainly affected by excessive smoke caused by the burning hay bales. De Telegraaf cites that clearing the highway of the haybales, manure, and tires, could take several hours.
While the main areas affected, thus far, are the middle provinces, centered around the towns of Zwolle, Barneveld, and Hengelo, residents of the northern provinces should remain aware that the A28 between Zwolle and Groningen is currently heavily affected by the demonstrations.
The Leeuwarder Courant reports that police are currently closely monitoring areas affected by the protests.
“Right now we are monitoring the situation and if it gets out of hand, action is taken,” said a police spokesperson, as reported by the Leeuwarder Courant. If criminal offenses are committed, or a response is necessary, then action will be taken in coordination with the (local) municipality, they continued.
The demonstrations themselves are in response to the cabinet’s new nitrogen demands announced on June 10th, which would see farmers reduce emissions by up to 95 percent across the country. The demands, according to several farmer organizations, including the Farmer Defence Force (FDF), are unreasonable and would have severe implications for their livelihoods.
You can read up on our previous coverage of the farmer protests, here.
