A far-right demonstration in the Netherlands escalated into violence on Saturday as protesters clashed with police in the centre of The Hague, throwing fireworks and other projectiles at officers. Police said around 500 far-right protesters had gathered for the demonstration, where antisemitic slogans were also chanted.
Police responded with batons, dogs and water cannon as the confrontation intensified. Twenty-four protesters were arrested, according to police. The violence forced authorities to halt the planned march and order the demonstration to be dissolved.
The protest had been registered under the slogan “We are the people” and was organised primarily as a demonstration against the Dutch government’s policies, particularly on immigration. A march through the city had originally been planned, but the route did not proceed after clashes broke out at the gathering point.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten accused participants of deliberately seeking confrontation with police. Writing on the online service X, he also condemned what he described as “disgusting” far-right and antisemitic slogans shouted during the protest. Justice Minister David van Weel said demonstrators had also made Nazi salutes.
The unrest comes against a backdrop of continuing political tensions in the Netherlands over asylum and migration policy. In September, before the country’s October 2025 early election, demonstrations calling for tougher asylum policies had already resulted in riots in The Hague.
The October election produced a closely contested result, with the liberal D66, led by Jetten, narrowly defeating the national-populist PVV of Geert Wilders. The previous coalition involving Wilders had collapsed after only 11 months, contributing to the early election.
The latest violence therefore comes as the country’s new government faces pressure over several domestic priorities. The government has announced cuts to the social and healthcare systems alongside increased defence spending. It has also pledged to address the housing shortage and tackle problems surrounding asylum and migration.
The events in The Hague illustrate the continuing tensions surrounding immigration policy in Dutch politics, with Saturday’s protest moving from a political demonstration to a confrontation with law enforcement. Authorities ultimately ended the gathering after protesters clashed with police, while the arrests marked a sharp escalation in what had been planned as a protest against government policy.
