A judge ruled this week that tractors may not be used to protest in Groningen (with similar bans in Friesland and Drenthe)
Translated by Thomas Ansell
Across the Province of Groningen, farmers are again protesting against plans to cut emissions from their sector by Minister Carola Schouten. Around 50 farmers and their noble steeds gathered on a patch of land next to the N366 motorway near Musselkanaal (Gemeente Stadskanaal). As reported by the Dagblad van het Noorden.
The tractors have been parked next to the road, and a large banner has been erected on a trailer with a slogan against Minister Schouten’s plans.
A protest is also underway next to the A7 road in Zuidbroek (Gemeente Menterwolde), with about 25 tractors parked. The protests are generally against the Dutch governments proposed ban on adding concentrated protein to milk cow feed. The farmers have held that this is a welfare risk for the cows, who spend their working lives in a constant state of artificial insemination to produce milk.
Demonstrations are also taking place outside of the North: in both Zwolle and the Hague hundreds of angry farmers are making their feelings known. The protest in Zwolle is more of a direct-action campaign, with farmers blockading the main Albert Heijn distribution centre for the region. This means that 230 shops cannot be re-stocked today.
Image: protesting tractors in the Hague. Image via Wikimedia user Steven Lek. License here.
