Train services disrupted by sabotage ahead of Dutch parliament opening
Train services were disrupted by deliberate acts of sabotage across the Netherlands on Tuesday, hours before the ceremonial state opening of parliament, the rail infrastructure operator ProRail said, reports BritPanorama.
ProRail indicated that pipes had been found attached to railways in over 20 locations, primarily in rural areas in the middle and the east of the country.
“We discovered materials that had been deliberately placed there. We are therefore now classifying this as sabotage of the railway infrastructure,” ProRail spokesperson Joke van der Cruysen stated.
King Willem-Alexander was set to open a new session of parliament on Tuesday afternoon with a speech outlining the government’s budget plans for 2027.
All trains in the vicinity of the track blockages were halted, leading to serious disruptions elsewhere, including to international services to Germany.
“It is not yet known who is responsible or what the motive is,” ProRail noted.
The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD is investigating the incident alongside police and prosecutors.
The proposed budget plans have ignited widespread protests in recent months, particularly from labor unions dissatisfied with proposed cuts to social benefits and farmers feeling unfairly targeted over nitrogen pollution issues.
Farmers had planned to protest in The Hague on Tuesday.
The pipes not only disrupted rail travel but also affected road traffic, as several level crossings had to remain closed, ProRail added.
