On January 3, visuals of anti-lockdown protests in the Netherlands went viral as a police dog was seen mauling a protester. Thousands of protesters had joined the demonstrations against lockdown. As the demonstrations went violent, the Police charged the protesters with batons to disperse the crowd.
Uncut: Amsterdam policedog incident. 2022-01-02 +++ Amsterdam +++ #2januariamsterdam #klaarmetrutte #wef #eindelockdownnu #Museumplein #StopQR #HoldTheLine #NoThankYou #NoVaccinePassport #coronaprotest #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/c73fFmfFrp
— Guerrilla Reporters (@GuerrillaRepor1) January 3, 2022
In a video shared by Guerrilla Reporters, the police dog could be seen mauling an unmasked protester while police officials looked on. The video has so far gathered over 10 million views on Twitter. The man who was being mauled by the dog cried for help and tried to get away from the dog only to fall down on the street face forward.
The dog handler was seen using the baton he was holding to hit near the place where the dog was biting the man, but the dog refused to let go of the protester.
Several other videos and images shared on social media platforms show that the Police used force against the protesters who were demonstrating against the strict lockdowns and vaccine mandates. Notably, an emergency ordinance was passed by Femke Halsema, mayor of Amsterdam, that allowed the Police to clear the site around central Museum Square where the protesters had gathered.
2022-01-02 +++ Amsterdam +++ #2januariamsterdam #klaarmetrutte #wef #eindelockdownnu #Museumplein #StopQR #HoldTheLine #NoThankYou #NoVaccinePassport #coronaprotest #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/kFFC6PWmWR
— Guerrilla Reporters (@GuerrillaRepor1) January 3, 2022
Reports suggest that at least 30 people were detained after the scuffle between the Police and the protesters. Four officers were injured as well.
This is not the first time the Netherlands has seen violent clashes against the lockdowns. In November, when the country introduced partial lockdowns, the protests against the orders had turned violent. The current orders issued on December 19 last year further tightened the lockdown and imposed closure of all but essential services. Restaurants, gyms, museums, and other public places have been shut since then. The orders would stay enforced until at least January 14.
Covid-19 in the Netherlands
According to World Health Organization’s data, the Netherlands has so far reported over 30 lakhs Covid-19 cases. Over 20,000 people have lost their lives. The country that has around 1.7 crore population had reported the highest number of cases at 1,55,734 on November 22 last year. The Netherlands has so far administered 2.6 crores doses of Covid-19 vaccine with over 69% of population fully vaccinated.
