Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Sunday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
Reuters reports that police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd who, according to authorities, ignored the rules for social distance and warnings from authorities.
According to authorities, twenty people were detained, and two people were injured by police dogs after refusing to evacuate the area.
Many of those gathered in the crowd held up yellow umbrellas and signs in opposition calling “Love, freedom, stop dictatorship”, according to Reuters.
Police used water cannon and batons to break protest against the closure of the elections in the Netherlands https://t.co/1GSLiJMb3G pic.twitter.com/nL9lNWJS4u
– Al Jazeera Engels (@AJEnglish) 14 March 2021
Despite the protest, the news office notes that a majority of Dutch voters support the closure, as the coronavirus infection rate in the Netherlands is at the highest point of European countries.
Reuters notes that the country has been intensely locked up since January, with more than two people’s gatherings banned and the first night bell since World War II. When the lockout was extended, it caused several days of riots across the country.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Netherlands has confirmed more than 1.1 million cases of coronavirus and more than 16,000 related deaths.
The Dutch election starts on Monday, with the ballot boxes for the next three days. Reuters notes that Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the Conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), wants to pursue another four years after winning in 2010.