Hundreds of farmers participated in a playful protest against the policy of LNV minister Carola Schouten on Saturday evening 11 July in Schermerhorn in North Holland. In the dark they together portrayed the text 'NH loves farmers'.
Letter by letter, this text lit up in the dark, filmed from the air with a drone.
Gun at McDonalds
The action followed the arrest a day earlier of FDF leader Thijs Wieggers from Mariënvelde in the Achterhoek. Together with a few dozen other Achterhoek farmers, he drove to The Hague on Friday with the tractor to protest at the office of the Central Food Bureau (CBL). On his way home, he was stopped by a police officer near a McDonalds restaurant. He drew his service weapon when Wieggers saw a stop sign ignored† He was released after questioning on Saturday. Wieggers is angry that the officer thought it necessary to draw his gun, while he said he was on his way to the restaurant for a bite to eat.
Who is intimidating whom?
The incident (published by the NOS, in contrast to the playful action in North Holland a day later), caused a lot of support and indignation on social media. Especially in the agricultural sector. There's a funny photo going around of a tractor with a sign on the nose that reads, "Don't shoot, I'm on my way to the Mac." However, public opinion is becoming increasingly critical of the trigger protests, which are perceived as intimidating to experience, witness the column in the Algemeen Dagblad below.
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