Thousands protest in Amsterdam against lockdown measures despite ban

A sign reads “Vrijheid” or “Freedom” as thousands of people protested in Amsterdam on Sunday (Peter Dejong/AP)

Thousands of people in the capital of the Netherlands have defied a ban and gathered for a demonstration against the Dutch government’s coronavirus lockdown measures, before police pushed them away from Amsterdam’s Museum Square.

The local government had outlawed the protest, saying police had indications some demonstrators might be planning to attend “prepared for violence”. The municipality later issued an emergency order for people to leave Museum Square, and riot police marched across the grass to clear the area, sending the demonstrators into nearby streets.