De Telegraaf says about 25 activists blocked the A12 at Zevenaar; NOS says about a hundred took part
Extinction Rebellion blocked the motorway to the German border on Saturday, and riot police carried the protesters off in buses. The two Dutch outlets we hold give two different head counts. They also lead with different things: De Telegraaf with the arrests, NOS with what the protest was against.
What happened. On Saturday, Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists blocked the A12 at Zevenaar, south-east of Arnhem. The road was closed towards the German border. De Telegraaf and NOS both cite the ANWB traffic service for the closure, so that is one source, not two. The mobile unit, the Dutch riot police, removed the protesters and put them on buses.
How many. The counts differ, and they may not measure the same thing.
| De Telegraaf | NOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Head count | "about 25" activists blocked the road | "about a hundred" took part, hedged with zouden ("reportedly") |
| Source for the count | none given | none given |
| Police before the road | not reported | stopped "dozens" |
| Arrests | refusers "lifted off the road", "a few" handcuffed | removed and taken away by bus, citing Omroep Gelderland |
| Why XR was there | not stated | fossil-fuel subsidies |
The lead. De Telegraaf's headline is about the police: "politie grijpt in" ("police step in"). Only NOS says what the protest was against. Both De Telegraaf reports we hold are opening paragraphs only.
What is not settled. - Who counted, and whether 25 means the people on the road and 100 means everyone who set out. NOS's account fits that reading, but no outlet says so. - How many people were detained. None of the three reports gives a number. - When the road reopened. None of the three reports says.
What this is about. A climate group blocked a Dutch motorway to protest against government support for fossil fuels, and the police removed its members.
How it got here. Extinction Rebellion was founded in Britain in 2018. It uses civil disobedience, most often sitting down in roads, to push governments to act faster on climate change. Its Dutch branch has made one demand the centre of its campaign: an end to tax breaks and other subsidies for coal, oil and gas. For several years it has blocked the A12 in The Hague, where the motorway runs into the city near the government buildings. Those blockades have ended again and again with police clearing the road and detaining protesters. NOS notes that XR had occupied the A12 in The Hague before, and that this time the location was not announced in advance.
Why Zevenaar. The A12 runs east from The Hague through Utrecht and Arnhem to the German border. Zevenaar, in the province of Gelderland, sits on its last stretch. Moving the protest there takes it away from the seat of government and onto a route into Germany.
The actors. - Extinction Rebellion wants the subsidies scrapped. It accepts arrest as part of its method. - The police and the mobile unit clear roads and detain protesters who stay put. - The government and parliament decide on the subsidies, and are the real target of the protest. - Drivers, who were stuck in stopped traffic, according to De Telegraaf.
What is at stake. Dutch law protects the right to demonstrate. The local mayor may set conditions or end a protest that endangers safety or traffic. Motorway blockades test where that line falls. The subsidy question is the one XR wants on the agenda.
Where it stands. By the time of the reports, the road had been cleared and the activists taken away. None of the reports gives a number of detentions or says what happens to those held.
What is being argued about
- How many people took part: about 25 on the road or about a hundred in all
- How the police cleared the A12 and took protesters away by bus
- What XR was protesting against: subsidies for fossil fuels
- Why XR moved from The Hague to the German border route
Claims and verdicts
No claims registered.
Who wrote it
Coverage, outlet by outlet
NOS
NOS
🇳🇱NL ·
public broadcaster · public-service
Klimaatactivisten bezetten A12, deze keer bij Zevenaar
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