Another European government restricts the right to protest
30 January 2025
Blocked highways, demolished universities, and violence between the police and protesters; European governments are not happy with the disorder caused by protests. Last week, the Dutch parliament held a remarkable debate on additional measures for protests, such as preventive ID checks, a ban on face coverings, and a general ban on blocking infrastructure.
For the latter, the right-wing liberal party VVD pointed to the UK as an example, where such laws restricting protests are already in place. Police can restrict or shut down any protest if they suspect it might cause "serious disruption", mainly aimed at highway-blocking climate activists. But the law is so open to interpretation that protests could be seen as a risk in itself, discouraging people from demonstrating out of fear of police interference.
Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema warns that adding extra measures is a dangerous path: because a small group causes trouble, now all protesters could have their right to protest limited. Especially when activists get labelled as criminal groups, as seen in France, Spain, and Germany, where climate activist groups have been dissolved or arrested.
 | Julianne van Pelt Amnesty International warned against a pattern across Europe of repressive laws, arbitrary actions, and excessive police force, including violence against peaceful protesters in a report last summer. They also warn of a visible increase in the use of facial recognition technologies for preventive surveillance. Governments seem desperate to cling to order, and the Dutch debate could already discourage people from organising demonstrations. But isn't the whole point of protesting to use civil disobedience, without violence, to express frustration with those in power and create some friction? A better debate would focus on the reason behind protests rather than playing around with constitutional laws. |
〉https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur01/8199/2024/en/">Report on the state of the right to protest in Europe
〉https://decorrespondent.nl/15099/activisten-van-extinction-rebellion-zijn-irritant-maar-niet-crimineel/16f9eee1-111c-099a-3b59-13d7a94fb093">The danger of labeling activists as criminals
〉https://www.article19.org/resources/europe-protect-right-to-protest/">An overview of recent restrictions on the right to protest in Europe
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