Dutch riot police were forced to intervene during an anti-immigration rally in The Hague on Saturday, utilizing water cannons, dogs, and baton charges to disperse approximately 500 protesters. The gathering, organized under the banner “Wij zijn het volk”—meaning “We are the people”—aimed to challenge government asylum and immigration policies. However, the event quickly escalated into a violent confrontation, with demonstrators pelting officers with fireworks and various projectiles.
Law enforcement authorities confirmed the arrest of 24 individuals as they worked to clear the Malieveld park in the city center. Following the onset of violence, officials banned the planned march and ordered the immediate dispersal of the crowd. During the unrest, observers noted provocative displays, including a participant performing a Hitler salute, while a truck used as a stage featured a screen with the message, “The Netherlands is for the Dutch.”
Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the incident on social media, stating that the demonstrators intentionally provoked conflict with police while shouting “abhorrent” far-right and antisemitic slogans. Justice Minister David van Weel echoed these sentiments, labeling the scenes of violence and hateful rhetoric as unacceptable and stressing the necessity of strict enforcement against such behavior. He publicly thanked the officers for their role in upholding the rule of law.
Participants at the rally expressed deep frustration with current national policies. One attendee, 31-year-old mechanic Thijs Jansen, voiced his opposition to the state’s direction, claiming that the country is being lost to mass migration. The situation on Saturday mirrors events from one year prior, when police also deployed water cannons to break up an anti-immigration demonstration in The Hague. During that previous incident, protesters in black clothing clashed with police, resulting in an attack on the headquarters of the D66 party—then led by the current Prime Minister—and the burning of a police vehicle.
Local authorities continue to investigate the events as they process those taken into custody. The government remains focused on managing the fallout from the rally while maintaining public order in the capital. The report also notes that they added, further investigations were underway.
