Climate activists block A12 in The Hague for eighth day in a row; removed by police
https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/16/climate-activists-block-a12-hague-eighth-day-row-removed-police
The estimated several hundred climate activists who blocked the A12 highway in The Hague on Saturday have been removed from the road by the police.
Several hundred climate activists are blocking the A12 highway in The Hague on Saturday for the eighth day in a row. They are protesting against government measures that support the fossil fuel industry. The Police used water cannons after some time.
dizzy: Extinction Rebellion NL have blocked the A12 at the Hague on previous occasions. The current programme of ongoing protests is to demand that the Dutch government stops it’s huge fossil fuel subsidies. They have blocked the A12 daily since last Saturday with the police using water cannon to clear them and reporting minors to the Dutch equivalent of Social Services for protesting. The following video is at least a day old and so does not cover today’s protest.
Even more subsidies for fossil fuels than previously assumed, up to €46 billion annually
Even more subsidies and tax breaks are flowing into the fossil sector than previously assumed. According to a calculation by the Ministry of Economy and Climate, these amount to 39.7 to 46.4 billion euros annually. This is stated in the documents that will be released on Budget Day, September 19.
Insiders confirm corresponding reports from NOS. This is only a sum of all the benefits of the use of fossil energy and raw materials. It does not include, however, the cost to consumers. The report also states that a large part of the benefits (about 17 billion) is specified in international treaties or European Union directives.
A recent research report by SOMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie already came to a total of 37.5 billion euros. Outgoing Minister Rob Jetten (Climate and Energy) said at the time that this amount sounded familiar. In general, Jetten wants to eliminate fossil fuel rebates.
According to NOS, this affects large steel companies, coal-fired power plants, greenhouse nurseries, inland shipping and oil refineries. Airlines, for example, do not have to pay kerosene tax in the Netherlands, which earns them more than 2 billion euros per year.
In recent years, fossil benefits have also disappeared. According to Jetten, phasing out fossil fuel perks can’t be done in one swoop. There has to be a phase-out plan for that, he says. “In this way we say goodbye to the old economy and create space for new jobs and prosperity,” he posted on X. For a long time, it was unclear how many subsidies and tax breaks went to the fossil fuel sector.
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Extinction Rebellion NL start blockades of A12 motorway at The Hague
Permanent A12 blockade Stop Fossil Subsidies
Saturday, September 9 at 12:00 noon is the moment of the Big One: we will demonstrate for the eighth time on the A12. And also for the last time. Because no matter what the Hague municipal council allows the police to do, we will stay or come back day in and day out. Until the government meets our demand: an immediate end to all fossil subsidies. Together we can do this. Get involved and join us!
The most recent IPCC report is clear: continuing on the current path will lead to between 2.2 and 3.5 degrees of warming. Even now, the situation in the Global South is extreme: hundreds of thousands of people die every year as a result of the climate and ecological crisis. In 2022, 43,000 people died in Somalia alone due to drought. Yet our government stimulates the fossil industry with up to 30 billion euros in fossil subsidies every year . Bizarre policy with devastating consequences!
Participate? Which can! Good preparation is important. Take an Action Training so that you know how to take peaceful civil disobedience action and join the Telegram group A12StopSub
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Around 2,000 arrests during first day of A12 blockade, new A12 blockade tomorrow at 12:00 noon
09/09/2023
Extinction Rebellion will keep coming back, every day at 12:00 noon, until fossil subsidies are abolished
Today, on Saturday September 9, about 25,000 people demonstrated on and next to the A12 , in the blockade and the support demo . From 1:30 p.m., the police deployed water cannons and peaceful demonstrators were also frequently beaten with batons. Around 2,000 people were arrested for demonstrating peacefully on the A12 between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the temporary House of Representatives building. A large number of these demonstrators will be back on the A12 tomorrow at 12:00 noon to demand an immediate end to all fossil subsidies. If they are removed again by the police, they will return the next day and every day after that, always at 12:00 noon.
Tessel Hofstede, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion and recently sentenced to 30 hours of community service for ‘incitement’: “On the first day of the permanent A12 blockade, many thousands of people showed that all fossil subsidies must now end. Every day around the world, and especially in the Global South, people die from climate disasters that our government helps pay for. This must stop now. That is why we will keep coming back, every day at 12:00 until all fossil subsidies are abolished.”
37.5 billion euros annually: the amount is correct
On Tuesday, September 5, Rob Jetten admitted to the Financieel Dagblad that ‘the amount is correct’.[1] He was referring to the annual 37.5 billion euros in fossil subsidies from research by SOMO, Oil Change International and Milieudefensie.[2] He further indicated that the government is still busy ‘mapping’ the size. A striking fact since the Balkenende cabinet already determined in 2009 that fossil subsidies had to be phased out[3], a process that should have been completed in 2025.
Mozart on the A12
XR Musicians was present with 180 musicians and a choir. They opened the demonstration with the Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem. Dies Irae means ‘Day of anger’. Cellist Sanne Bijker: “Anger is appropriate today, because the government is still investing in fossil subsidies at the expense of the Global South and future generations. Anger is also an emotion that sets you in motion, anger makes you get up and take action. We hope to get more people moving with this music.”
Professors in gowns [Scientists’ white coats?]
Scientist Rebellion demonstrated with dozens of scientists, including a number of professors, many of whom were wearing gowns. “Climate change requires radical system change towards a society that does everything it can to keep this planet livable and healthy for people, animals and nature,” said Patrick Huntjens, professor of governance of Sustainability Transitions, Maastricht University. “As long as there are 37.5 billion euros in fossil subsidies, the government is part of the problem and the main obstacle on the way to a sustainable and just society.”
“This is the fourth time I have participated in the A12 blockade with Scientist Rebellion,” said Julia Schaumburg, professor of Econometrics, VU Amsterdam. “I am here as a scientist, but also, more importantly, as a citizen terrified of a future of continued global warming and environmental degradation.”
Broad support for professional groups
All kinds of professional groups also demonstrated on the A12, including XR Civil Servants, XR Teachers, XR Healthcare Professionals, XR Therapists and the green farmers of
Spokesperson Margarita Vossen of XR Zorgprofessionals: “This is bad news, further health damage must be prevented urgently. An emergency in the hospital is also not postponed, our planet is in need and we must take action now.”
Extinction Rebellion NL start A12 blockade today
Extinction Rebellion (XR) plans to block the A12 highway in The Hague again today in protest against the government’s support for the fossil fuel industry. Unlike with previous protests, the climate activists plan to keep this one going until the government stops all its subsidies to the fossil industry. If the police remove or arrest activists, new ones will replace them.
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According to the XR spokesperson, many civil rights have been obtained through these “disruptive actions,” including safe cycle paths and the 40-hour work week. “It’s a proven strategy,” she said. “In addition, petitions have been signed, and climate marches have been taking place for 50 years. We have had climate diplomacy for 30 years. It has not achieved nearly enough.”
She acknowledged that the highway blockade will inconvenience people and that they’ll find it annoying. “But the nuisance of a flood or a forest fire is many times greater.”
A recent study by OMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie showed that the Dutch government misses out on 37.5 billion euros in income yearly due to schemes that favor using fossil fuels. And that while there is overwhelming scientific evidence that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming.
Extinction Rebellion NL starts it’s programme of blockades of the A12 in The Hague today.
XR climate activists start march from three cities to block A12 in The Hague next week
Participants in a climate march set off from Arnhem, Alkmaar, and Almere on Sunday morning, ending six days later in The Hague. The march is an initiative of Extinction Rebellion (XR), in advance of the next blockade of the A12 highway, which the climate activist group has announced for next Saturday. According to XR, the march will be “public-friendly and fully within the law.”
For each day, the activists have set a route of about 20 kilometers. The routes will go from station to station, so people who want to join the day’s march can do so easily. A similar march already took place in May, but then only from Arnhem.
Starting Saturday, September 9, XR plans to block the A12 in The Hague every day. This part of the road passes the temporary Tweede Kamer and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. According to XR, this is exactly the right place for a protest against the financial benefits that the government grants for the use of fossil fuels. These fuels cause by far the most CO2 emissions and thus contribute significantly to global warming.
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