COVID Test Site Burned Down as Anti-Lockdown Protesters Rage

Dutch police have detained more than 240 people following violent street protests against the government’s latest coronavirus-related restrictions.

Protests gained momentum over the weekend in more than 10 towns and cities across the Netherlands.

In the port village of Urk, 50 miles from Amsterdam, a group of young people torched a COVID testing facility.

Dozens of people then marched to the harbour, breaking the newly introduced curfew between 9PM to 4.30AM.

Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons responding to protesters throwing stones and setting off fireworks in cities including Amsterdam and Eindhoven.

The demonstrations follow Dutch MPs voting to bring in stricter anti-COVID measures last Thursday, including the overnight curfew that is a response to the new, fast-spreading variants of the coronavirus.

The Netherlands is still reporting around 5,000 COVID cases and 30 deaths per day, despite imposing repeated lockdowns since October, and stricter measures over the Christmas and new year period.

The mayor of the southern city of Eindhoven, John Jorritsma told reporters, “If we carry on like this, we will be heading toward civil war.”

Local leaders in Urk condemned the clashes on Sunday too, saying, “This is not only unacceptable but also a slap in the face, especially for the local health authority staff who do all they can at the test centre to help people from Urk.”

The entire Dutch government resigned earlier this month over a child benefits scandal, ahead of elections due to take place in March. Mark Rutte and his cabinet are staying in place in a caretaker capacity only until a new coalition government is formed after that election.

Rutte told reporters on Monday that the weekend’s protests amounted to “criminal violence,” and backed the police response.

“This has nothing to do with protesting: it is criminal violence, and that is how we will treat it,” he said.

“We’re doing it because we’re fighting the virus and right now it’s the virus that’s taking away our freedom, and it’s because of the virus that we’re taking these rotten measures,” he added.