Dutch police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday. Thirty people were arrested and two officers injured as large groups clashed with police, with some throwing rocks and bottles.
Around 1,500 people blocked a highway crossing the city while a police car was set on fire, the Netherlands news agency ANP reported, citing police figures.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence, calling it completely unacceptable.
Right-wing leader Geert Wilders, who won the previous election in the Netherlands and has retained his lead in opinion polls ahead of a 29 October vote, was invited to speak at the demonstration but did not attend. He also condemned the violence against police as utterly unacceptable, attributing it to idiots.
The protest was organized by a right-wing activist demanding stricter migration policies and a clampdown on asylum seekers. Violence erupted when large groups of protesters, many waving Dutch flags and symbols associated with far-right groups, confronted security forces.
In addition to violence against police, protesters smashed windows at the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party, which many on the far right view as representing a progressive elite. D66 leader Rob Jetten reported extensive damage inside and urged protesters to stay away from political parties, asserting that extremists would not intimidate them.
The unrest follows the collapse of the Dutch government in June after Wilders withdrew his far-right PVV party from the governing coalition over migration disputes. His call for additional asylum measures, including halting asylum applications and limiting family reunification, marked a significant turning point in Dutch politics.
