The Dutch riot police put an end to a new rail blockade in the Rotterdam port on Saturday. Activist group Geef Tegengas said that 800 people joined the blockade, a local photographer estimated some 400 attendees. Over 300 were arrested, say the police.
It was the second consecutive day of protests in the Rotterdam port by the activist group. Whereas on Friday they blocked the road entrance to APM Terminals and Rotterdam World Gateway, the activists returned to the railways a day later. Throughout the year, they have occupied port rail infrastructure nearly ten times.
Geef Tegengas states as its goal the dismantling of the “logistics empire”, which in their view contributes to climate change and weapon transport to Israel. Some of the activists had chained themselves to the rails. Contrary to earlier protests in the port, the police intervened this time around. Some 300 protestors were arrested.
On Friday, the group had also stated that other protests on infrastructure would take place across Europe over the weekend, but protests of a similar scale do not seem to have taken place.
Rail freight reaction
Dutch rail freight association RailGood, represented by its director Hans-Willem Vroon, responded positively to the intervention of the police on LinkedIn: “Compliments to the Rotterdam police. This time around, it intervened well and quickly against some 400 (green) left activists who are blocking the port railway line that is vital for Europe”.
“The railway is not a public space”, Vroon continued. “It is prohibited territory to demonstrate. It is extremely dangerous for the safety and health of the activists themselves to block the railway. With these kinds of actions, the logistics chain is disrupted throughout Europe.”