Far-right figures calling for violence at Hague protest one year after Malieveld riots

A year after the far-right riots around an anti-asylum demonstration on the Malieveld in The Hague, right-wing groups are holding another protest in the city. And far-right figures are calling for violence, Vrij Nederland discovered in an analysis of far-right social media and networks.

The protest, called Wij Zijn Het Volk, will take place on the Malieveld on Saturday. The program starts at 12:30 p.m., followed by a march through the city. There will also be a counter-demonstration on Spuiplein. These protesters will not march through the city to prevent the two groups from encountering each other. There may also be an Extinction Rebellion protest on the A12.

Far-right figurehead Tinus Koops said on TikTok that he wants to see “armed brethren” at the Malieveld, VN reported. Etienne van Basten, a board member of the neo-Nazi Nederlandse Volks-Unie (NVU), is among those calling to “clear” the A12 highway of Extinction Rebellion protesters.

A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion told Omroep West that their planned blockade of the A12 highway may happen near Utrecht on Saturday instead of on the Utrechtsebaan in The Hague. The organization is still in talks with the police about the matter. “The decision on whether or not to stage a protest in The Hague will be made on Friday.”

This year’s far-right protest is against the government. Police expect several thousand farmers, fishermen, and other dissatisfied citizens. They also expect aggressive far-right groups like Defend Nederland.

And on top of the far-right protest, counter-demonstration, and potential XR demonstration, ADO Den Haag is also playing a football match against Cambuur on the same day. The city’s “security triangle” of police, prosecutor, and municipality is bracing itself.

“These demonstrations require extensive preparation and cost us - the members of the security triangle - a good deal of sleep,” police chief Karin Krukkert told Den Haag FM. “We are still actively working on investigations [into last year’s far-right riots],” she continued. “It takes a tremendous amount of time and resources to ensure that people do not get away with these kinds of crimes.”

Last year, a large protest against the government’s asylum policy on the Malieveld devolved into massive riots. Rioters set a police car on fire, injured four police officers, and vandalized the D66 offices in the city, among other things. The police arrested dozens of rioters. The city estimated the damage caused at around €68,000.

It is unclear who is behind Wij Zijn Het Volk, Omroep West reported. The organizers officially registered the demonstration with the municipality, but the protest has no dedicated website and no known organization has publicly associated itself with the event.

A spokesperson for the municipality would not comment to the broadcaster about what measures it was taking around the demonstrations. “As usual, the situation is being closely monitored by the police. Based on the information available at the time, a careful assessment will be made as to whether additional measures are necessary.”