Dutch police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent anti-immigration protesters in The Hague on Saturday. Thirty people were arrested and two officers injured as large groups clashed with police, some throwing rocks and bottles.
Around 1,500 people blocked a highway crossing the city, while a police car was set on fire, the Netherlands news agency ANP reported, citing police figures.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the shocking and bizarre images of shameless violence, stating it was completely unacceptable.
Right-wing leader Geert Wilders, who won the previous election in the Netherlands and has retained his lead in opinion polls ahead of a 29 October vote, was invited to speak at the demonstration but did not attend. He also condemned the violence against police as utterly unacceptable, attributing it to the actions of idiots.
The protest, organized by a right-wing activist, demanded stricter migration policies and a clampdown on asylum seekers. Violence erupted when large groups of protesters, many waving Dutch flags associated with far-right groups, confronted security forces.
Protesters also vandalized the headquarters of the centre-left D66 party, seen by many on the far right as a party that serves a progressive elite. D66 leader Rob Jetten reported extensive damage inside and told protesters to stay away from political parties.
The Dutch government collapsed in June after Wilders withdrew his far-right PVV party from the governing coalition following a conflict over migration, leading to demands for additional asylum measures.
