There’s a good vibe at the A12 highway blocking. Photo for Resource Today climate activists are again blocking the A12 highway and again students and staff of WUR are there. Some as protestor on the highway and others in the support demonstration, a few hundred meters from the A12. Resource is in contact with activists in The Hague.
‘I’m going up the A12. My phone goes with me, but when the arrests start I give it to a friend. Then I can’t be reached’, one of the activists from Wageningen (name known to the editors) tells Resource.
Around noon we receive a first chat: ‘We are there. It seems the first requisition has been given.’ The requisition comes from the police. With such a requisition they ask protesters who are on the A12 to leave and join the support demonstration. After three requisitions, police may begin arresting the protestors.
Water cannon
Fifteen minutes later (12:15) the third requisition appears to have been given. ‘Officially, we may now be arrested. It seems the police are not going to do that yet. They are pretty relaxed standing by the side of the road watching.’
On the highway in full sunlight, it is quite warm. ‘There are a lot of police vans and I’ve also seen two water cannons. Hopefully they will use those water cannons.’
Support demonstration
A few hundred meters next to the A12, at the Laan van Raegan en Gorbatsjov, a support demonstration is underway. This support demonstration allows concerned citizens to speak out against fossil subsidies and show support for rebels in the A12 blockade, without participating in the blockade themselves.
Scattered
‘In March I was also at an A12 blocking. Then I was arrested. Today there are more than 100 people from Wageningen at the demonstration’, the climate activist let us know from the A12. ‘We are very spread out, though. I do not know exactly how many there are from WUR, but I am now with 6 others from the university.’
Around 1:30 pm we get another message: ‘It’s just been reported that the arrests have started, but there are so many of us that I can’t see that from here. Apparently the water cannon is also already on. We sit here playing cards quite enjoyably.’
Ten minutes later, the water cannon also comes into view for the Wageningen activists. That’s the signal to get into action mode. ‘I put my phone away and I stay put to get arrested.’
