Enlarge image
Action on June 29: Dutch farmers block the A1 near Oldenzaal on the German border with their tractors for two hours
Photo: Vincent Jannink / dpa
Dutch farmers have been venting their dissatisfaction with planned environmental regulations for weeks.
According to the Dutch police, the situation is now becoming increasingly threatening.
According to their own statements, officials had to fire warning shots during the farmers' protests and also shoot at target.
The police spoke on the radio on Wednesday of an extremely threatening situation for the officers.
Nobody was injured.
Three people were arrested.
The incident happened late Tuesday evening on a motorway slip road near Heerenveen in the north of the country.
Farmers had blocked the road with tractors.
As they headed for the police officers and their cars, the officers took up fire and hit at least one tractor, police said.
The farmers denied the police account.
The police were not threatened.
The police are investigating the incident.
For more than two weeks, farmers have been 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.
The so-called nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands began in 2019 after the Dutch State Council decided that too little was being done to reduce nitrogen inputs into the soil.
Farmers recently broke through a police barrier in front of the home of Environment Minister Christianne van der Wal and dumped liquid manure, and a police car was also damaged in the action.
Farmers have also been blocking large supermarket warehouses and roads with their tractors for days.
The protests continued on Wednesday, including at a large warehouse and at the regional airport in Groningen.
mrc/dpa
