The Hague’s mayor Josiaz van Aartsen has extended a ban on demonstrations in the Schilderswijk district to cover all the city’s residential areas after it emerged seven rallies were due to take place on September 20.
The mayor said demonstrations would be confined to ‘suitable areas’ without the risk of clashes between various pro and anti Israel groups. This is necessary to ensure the safety of both locals and demonstrators, Van Aartsen said.
‘There is just one boss on the streets and that is the police,’ he said in a briefing to the city council.
Clashes
Last week, the mayor banned demonstrations in the Schilderswijk district following clashes with rival demonstrators during a rally by an organisation calling itself Pro Patria.
Pro Patria had planned a second ‘march for freedom’ through the Transvaal district, which also has a high immigrant population, on September 20.
The extreme right NVU, the Muslim Defence League and local immigrant groups were also planning demonstrations in various parts of the city that day.