Dutch police arrested dozens of demonstrators and countered agricultural tractor blockades on Saturday, July 4, 2026, after Extinction Rebellion climate activists attempted to occupy the A12 highway near Laagraven.
Around 12:45 p. m.
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, a small group of climate activists tried to scale the guardrails to enter the highway.
Law enforcement officers deployed between 20 and 30 personnel to prevent the intrusion, leading to a brief physical confrontation with the crowd.
Local farmers also arrived at the scene with approximately six tractors to actively counter the climate demonstration.
The farmers positioned their vehicles on the median strip of the N408, a road connecting to the A12 near Houten, where a group of about 30 climate activists sat on the roadside surrounded by police.
Prior to the roadside scuffles, several vehicles had successfully blocked the A12 highway, resulting in 20 arrests before authorities cleared the road by 1:15 p.
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m.
Police also closed lanes on the N408 parallel road, where the occupants of three blocking vehicles were taken into custody.
Demonstration Against Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Extinction Rebellion organized the demonstration alongside Utrecht for Palestine to protest against fossil fuel subsidies.
The municipality of Utrecht had officially banned demonstrations on the A12 Ring, designating the Domplein as the authorized protest location.
Utrecht Mayor Sharon Dijksma previously stated that individuals who defied the ban and entered the highway could face prosecution.
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Law enforcement officials confirmed that detained activists were being processed and removed from the A12 roadside area.
