Dutch farmers have been taking to the streets for weeks to protest against the government’s climate policy. Now there was an escalation: during a demonstration Tuesday evening, police officers shot at a moving tractor. An investigation has been launched.
At a demonstration by farmers on the highway near Heerenveen in the north of the Netherlands, the police initially fired warning shots. An officer then shot a tractor that was going away. This has been confirmed by the police in the province of Friesland.
Three people arrested
The shots were fired to avert a “threatening situation”, the director announced on Twitter on Tuesday evening. Therefore, tractor drivers had tried to drive into police officers and service vehicles. When officers opened fire, a truck with a trailer was hit. The tractor drove off, but was stopped shortly afterwards. Three suspects have been arrested, according to police. No one was injured.
Videos of the incident are circulating on social media. The National Criminal Investigation Department will now investigate whether the use of the firearm was legitimate. The statements of all those involved must be included in the independent investigation, the police of Friesland announced on Wednesday morning.
Protests continue
Dutch farmers are opposing a proposed regulation that aims to reduce nitrogen emissions nationwide by 50 percent by 2030. According to the authorities, this could mean the end of a third of livestock farms. In protest, farmers blocked some highways and driveways with their tractors. The protests also continued on Wednesday, with numerous farmers gathering at the airport in the city of Groningen in the north of the country.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
