Dutch police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday. Thirty people were arrested and two officers injured as large groups clashed with police, throwing rocks and bottles.
Approximately 1,500 demonstrators blocked a highway, and a police car was set on fire, according to reports from the Netherlands news agency ANP. Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the scenes of 'shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence', labeling them 'completely unacceptable'.
Right-wing leader Geert Wilders was invited to speak at the demonstration but did not attend. Instead, he denounced the violence against police as 'utterly unacceptable', attributing it to 'idiots'. The protest was organized by a right-wing activist who is demanding stricter migration policies.
Violence escalated as protesters, many with Dutch flags and symbols of far-right groups, confronted security forces. The unrest resulted in further damage, including broken windows at the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party. D66 leader Rob Jetten expressed that the damage was extensive and urged protesters to 'stay away from political parties'.
The Dutch government has faced turmoil recently, collapsing in June after Wilders withdrew his far-right PVV party from the coalition over immigration-related disputes. No one was in the D66 offices during the protests, according to party officials.
Protesters' demands have included the freezing of asylum applications and a halt to the construction of reception centres. The governing coalition had lasted for less than a year before its collapse.
