Dutch farmers and builders are protesting throughout the country over the government’s nitrogen emissions policy, causing major traffic disruptions as demonstrators maneuver heavy machinery along major routes.

The protesters have managed to block some roads for a time with slow-moving or parked convoys of vehicles, including the A1 highway near the German border.

In other places, police have blocked off access to activists. The roads to local government buildings in the city of Groningen have been closed by police to block protesters. Farmers forced their way into the building during similar protests in October.

Er komt een nieuwe colonne tractoren de Vlasweg oprijden bij ATM pic.twitter.com/CxfG4XPkyP — willem-jan joachems (@willemjanjo) December 18, 2019

Hele colonne tractoren in Den Bosch. Waar de rit heengaat is onduidelijk #boerenprotestenpic.twitter.com/pQYmTr2YB1 — René van Hoof (@renevanhoof) December 18, 2019

Vele tientallen tractoren komen aan bij de Amercentrale in Geertruidenberg. Boeren uit Valkenswaard zijn om 5:30 uur vertrokken.@omroepbrabantpic.twitter.com/m5bKswr3IM — jan peels (@janmetdesax) December 18, 2019

Boerenprotest Mediapark Hilversum. Alle toegangs- en uitvalswegen geblokkeerd met tractoren. #boerenprotestpic.twitter.com/X8yU3TgTVo — Eric Ansems (@ansemseric) December 18, 2019

Farmers and construction workers say their livelihoods are under threat from the government’s new anti-pollution policies to cut nitrogen emissions. Thousands of building projects were suspended earlier this year after the Council of State ruled that builders and farmers in the country were in breach of EU laws regarding nitrogen emissions.

A Dutch court barred protesters from blocking food distribution centers as initially intended for Wednesday’s action, and so demonstrators have concentrated on targeting major routes and regional government offices.

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