Dutch police use water cannon to disperse anti-immigration protestors

After some protestors started kicking bottles and rocks at police officers, Dutch police used a water cannon to disperse anti-immigration demonstrators in the Hague.

The Hague local government’s spokesperson said on Saturday that the police water cannon targets had withdrawn from the main demonstration to block a highway.

Right-wing activist Els Rechts organized the demonstration, which took place just over a month before the Dutch elections.

She advocates for fairer housing standards in the Netherlands and for asylum seekers.

Traangas ingezet via the #Elsfest and #Malieveld images. twitter.com/45lAu92Vxu

Translation: Tear gas was used on the Malieveld at Elsfest.

At least one police car was set on fire as part of the protest, according to local Dutch media.

Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), was also given a ticket to the demonstration but chose not to, he claimed in a post on X.

He blasted the violence on X, saying it was “completely, utterly unacceptable” to block the highway and use of force against the police.

On October 29, Dutch voters will cast ballots in snap elections caused by the dramatic collapse of the right-wing government.

Wilders announced in June that his party would no longer be a part of the 11-month-old right-wing Netherlands coalition government under the leadership of former prime minister Dick Schoof.

Wilders claimed that the coalition’s other three parties had abandoned Wilders’ plans to restrict refugees’ access to asylum.