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Tractor blockade in the Netherlands at the first protest in early June
Photo: HOLLANDSE HOOGTE / GINOPRESS / EPA
The Dutch government wants to massively reduce nitrogen emissions.
Now farmers have protested against it in drastic ways.
The farmers broke through a police barricade in front of the home of Environment Minister Christianne van der Wal with a tractor late Tuesday evening, the police said.
A police car was damaged and a liquid manure tank was emptied.
Pictures online show a police vehicle covered in hay, and hay is also pouring out of the open driver's window.
The situation in Hierden, east of Amsterdam, is threatening and unacceptable, the police wrote on Twitter.
“Borders have been crossed”.
Later the situation was manageable again.
The minister was not at home at the time, as reported by the ANP agency, citing a spokesman.
The farmers are protesting against the government's planned nitrogen measures.
According to a ruling by the highest court, nitrogen emissions must be greatly reduced.
In natural areas, pollutant emissions are to be reduced by around 70 percent.
According to the government, this could mean the end of around 30 percent of livestock farms.
Angry farmers had already gathered in front of the minister's house on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, farmers with dozens of tractors marched to the parliament in The Hague, where the announced reduction in nitrogen emissions was to be discussed.
As on the previous day, road blockades again caused long traffic jams in some parts of the country.
The Netherlands is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products.
In 2021, products worth around 105 billion euros were exported.
For decades, the country had not complied with European pollutant standards.
Agriculture is the largest contributor to nitrogen.
mrc/dpa