“Freedom is dead.” Dutch police prevent a demonstration in support of Palestine in front of the Israeli embassy

Dutch police banned a demonstration in support of Palestine and denouncing the Israeli aggression on Gaza in front of the Tel Aviv embassy in The Hague, and directed the demonstrators, who carried banners such as “Free Palestine,” “No to apartheid,” and “Freedom died in the land of freedom,” to another location.

On Saturday, Dutch police forces prevented the organization of a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people in front of the Israeli embassy in The Hague, the country’s administrative capital.

The police forces directed the demonstrators to use force to a place 500 meters away from the Israeli embassy site.

The forces surrounded the demonstrators and prevented them from marching towards the Dutch Parliament building.

The demonstrators carried banners in their hands with the phrases “Free Palestine,” “No to apartheid,” and “Freedom died in the land of freedom.”

The demonstrators also chanted, “Immediate ceasefire,” “The Netherlands is financing and Israel is bombing,” and “Be ashamed of yourselves!”

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, demonstrator William Mees said that not allowing the demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy shows Dutch double standards.

Mays described the Israeli forces' targeting of Palestinians waiting to receive humanitarian aid as "terrible," adding: "In fact, this is not new to Israel, as it sees the Palestinians as inhuman creatures."

In turn, demonstrator Marilyn Van Hasel said that the police asked the demonstrators to stay away from the Israeli embassy.

She added: "We were directed to this point under great pressure so that we could continue the protest, This is very unfortunate, as we would have preferred to deliver our message in front of the Israeli embassy specifically."

She expressed her welcome for filing a lawsuit against Israel before the International Court of Justice, adding that this is “not enough,” and demanded that more international pressure be imposed on Israel.