Dutch police on Sunday intervened to disperse a demonstration against Covid-19 health measures which had gathered thousands of protestors in Amsterdam’s Museumplein.
Local authorities had refused to allow the demonstration to take place, so protestors came to take part in what they called a “drink a coffee” event, Belga news agency reports.
Police called on people to leave the square via a drone flying over the crowd. “This is the police. You must leave the Museumplein, as this demonstration is prohibited,” could be heard. Finally, two water cannons arrived at the scene, and riot police moved in to disperse the demonstrators. One person was arrested.
Health restrictions are currently strict in the Netherlands, where a new confinement was imposed on the population a week before Christmas in the face of another wave of Covid-19 infections, and surge of the Omicron variant.
All non-essential shops are closed until 14 January as well as restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums, and theatres. Schools are closed at least until 9 January.
