Violent protest by farmers outside the home of the country’s agriculture minister have been condemned by the Dutch prime minister. The demonstration comes amid increasing anger from farmers over the Dutch governments plan's for pollution.
The farmers are protesting against a proposal, approved by lawmakers on Tuesday, to reduce emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030. Provincial governments have a year to fill in the detail on how to make the cuts, which are expected to include buying out some farms with livestock that produce large amounts of ammonia. Farmers argue they are being unfairly targeted and shown little concern for their futures.
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On Tuesday, outside the home of Christianne van der Wal, the Cabinet minister overseeing the Netherlands’ reforms to curb pollution, a small group of farmers clashed with police stationed
The farmers spread manure on a nearby street and, at another protest, farmers attacked a police car. Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged people to demonstrate ‘in a civilised way.’ He said: “So don’t block highways, don’t set off fireworks outside a minister’s house and spread manure and … scare two children, and endanger families.”
Earlier in the week farmer protests included torching bales of hay near roads and blocking highways across the country with slow-driving or parked tractors.
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