Cabinet and mayors agree to prosecute motorway protesters

The Dutch cabinet, mayors, prosecutors, and police chief have reached an agreement to prosecute individuals who block motorways or railway lines. This joint statement, issued on Tuesday, applies to everyone, from farmers to climate activists, although local authorities can still grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The agreement follows a fatal crash during recent farmers' protests, where two people died and six were injured when a car collided with a tractor-related tailback on the A59.

Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls, who chairs the regional mayors, stated that no legal changes have occurred; tractors were already prohibited from motorways. However, this new rule aims to clear up any confusion. Despite this, climate activist group Extinction Rebellion announced that they have no intention of ceasing their peaceful civil disobedience, asserting that as long as the government and big businesses fail to meet their demands, they will continue their protests.

The climate group is already facing prosecution, with a court case scheduled for August 26. XR emphasized that the new measure is merely a distraction, noting that activists have been treated more harshly than farmers over the summer. While around 270 climate activists were arrested on the A12 last month, only about 80 farmers avoided fines on the A35 due to taped-over number plates.