Dutch Rijksmuseum under siege by climate activists

By Selman Aksunger

ISTANBUL (AA) - Dozens of demonstrators came together in the Netherlands with the environmentalist group Extinction Rebellion and chained themselves to the iron fence of the Rijksmuseum, the largest museum in the country, and blocked the entrance on Saturday.

Speaking to Anadolu, the demonstrators wearing yellow overalls and numbering over 60, stated that they will block the entrance to the museum until cooperation with ING Bank, which they claim finances the fossil fuel industry, is terminated.

One of the demonstrators said: “Today we are organizing this action in front of the Rijksmuseum. We want the Rijksmuseum to cut its ties with ING. ING is implementing a faulty climate policy by financing the fossil fuel industry.”

The demonstrators, who entered the crane cabin and made frequent announcements to the museum visitors with a megaphone, chanted: “We want the Rijksmuseum to say ‘No’ to ING Bank.”

Some visitors criticized the way the demonstration was carried out since they could not enter the museum.

A large number of police officers waiting for the demonstration to end around the museum did not intervene.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan​​​​​​​