Amsterdam Police Release Hounds On Crowd Protesting COVID-19 Restrictions

A public demonstration took a dramatic turn yesterday. It resulted from Amsterdam riot police releasing hounds on a group of protestors.

COVID-19 in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has been devastated since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. With 3 million cases and nearly 21,000 deaths, the small European country has been scrambling to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Health officials report about 15,000 new corona cases daily. As a result, their government is cracking down on large gatherings.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, introduced a strict lockdown and curfew in December 2021. Such measures immediately brought upon protests from vexed citizens. The restrictions included:

• Mandatory mask-wearing in essential shops, such as supermarkets and pharmacies.
  
• Food and drink venues such as restaurants and bars are closed. You can still order take away.
• A two-person limit aged 13 and over per day at household.
• Outside there is a maximum group size of 2 persons aged 13 and over. People living at 1 address are excluded from this.
• The closing of most businesses by 5 pm.

After briefly lifting the rules in June 2021 and experiencing a massive spike in cases, the prime minister officially locked the country down on December 19th. For this reason, the “Coronavirus entry pass system.” was put into place. The entry pass consists of proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test taken in the past 24 hours. This pass will grant entry into restaurants, museums, cinemas, and gyms.

Tensions Boil Over In Amsterdam

Like rioters in parts of The United States, Dutch protestors claim their freedoms are under attack with the recent safety measures.

“I don’t agree with the lockdown, Nor with the mask requirement, the evening curfew, and the school closures.” One Dutch protestor said in an interview with Euronews. “I’m not a virus denier. I do believe the virus exists, and I also understand that sometimes, in the beginning of a crisis, there are measures that are excessive.”

The People Of Amsterdam Against Riot Police and Hounds

The violence in the typically peaceful nation is coming to a head after yesterday’s brutal display. Protestors in the Netherlands capital gathered by the thousands in the Museum Square to oppose COVID-19 regulations. Among the protestors were signs reading “Less repression, more care” and “It’s not about a virus, it’s about control.” One large sign also read “Trump 2024”. Donald Trump denied the virus upon its first appearance in the states.

The crowd stood their ground despite the orders to disperse. Riot police then donned in shields and batons. Amsterdam cops quickly quelled the remaining groups with force and then released hounds to drive rioters into the streets.

Dutch Police Release Dogs on Crowd Protesting COVID-19 Restrictions. Image source: Getty.

The Amsterdam hound attack is also not the first time protests in the Netherlands went sour. Three people then ended up in the hospital after a demonstration in Rotterdam led to protestors torching cars and throwing rocks in November.

With high-tension protests showing up in Germany, Belgium, and Austria, the violence is seemingly rippling throughout Europe.

The new COVID-19 variant Omicron seems to force government officials worldwide to double down on controversial rules. With Omicron becoming the most dominant variant stateside, we may also be seeing some lockdowns of our own.

Obviously, this Amsterdam “unauthorized protest” has sparked obsolete aggression and also an inadequate response with a hound attack. Still, COVID-19 is marching on and likely will be for the foreseeable future.

RELATED STORIES:

Colin Powell Passes Away At 84 Due To Complications From Covid-19

Coachella Festival 2022 Reverses Covid Vax Mandate Protocols

Follow FMHipHop on Instagram and Facebook!

Dreema Carrington|IG @dr3amgirl79|Twitter @notdreema