Thousands of people gathered in Amsterdam to protest against COVID lockdown measures, defying the government’s ban on public gatherings of more than two people.
Public gatherings of more than two people have been prohibited by the government of the Netherlands under COVID restrictions aimed at preventing the Omicron variant from overwhelming their already strained healthcare system.
Days before the protest was set to take place, the local government spoke out and outlawed the event, claiming that some of the protesters were “prepared for violence.”
Despite the government’s best efforts, the protesters ignored the restrictions, and gathered to protest against the country’s COVID lockdown measures and restrictions on the unvaccinated. The Netherlands had instituted a sudden lockdown on December 19th, ordering the closure of all but essential businesses. All restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums, and many other public spaces were ordered to be shuttered until at least January 14th.
Some participants unfurled a banner that read, “Less repression, more care.”
Another sign read: “It’s not about a virus, it’s about control” on one side and “Freedom” on the other.
One person in the crowd carried a “Trump 2024” flag.
The majority of the protesters were not masked and did not follow social distancing rules. They marched along the main thoroughfare in Amsterdam, playing music and holding yellow umbrellas in a sign of opposition to government overreach.
In response to the planned protest, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had issued an emergency ordinance which gave police the power to clear the central Museum Square.
Riot police with batons and shields descended upon the crowd of thousands of protesters, causing scuffles that led to the arrests of at least 30 individuals. Four officers were injured, according to a statement from police.
