Shops in The Hague board up windows ahead of planned Saturday protest
Businesses in the Dutch city centre are taking precautions after online calls for a 'Generation Z' demonstration, with some owners reporting threats of looting.
Several shops in the centre of The Hague have boarded up their windows ahead of a planned demonstration on Saturday, amid fears it could lead to rioting and looting, Dutch broadcaster Omroep West reported. The Tommy Hilfiger store on Hoogstraat was covered with wooden planks, while other chains including Ici Paris XL, Kruidvat and Guess took similar precautions, said Bas Winkler, chairman of the local business association BIZ Hofkwartier.
Calls circulating on social media have urged people, including schoolchildren, to demonstrate on Saturday at the Malieveld, a public square in The Hague, under the name "Generation Z Protest," RTL Nieuws reported. Some messages referred to heading towards shopping areas and expensive designer stores, and drew comparisons with recent riots in Paris in which several shops were looted.
Winkler said several shopkeepers had also received threatening phone calls warning that their stores would be emptied out on Saturday. It was not clear who was behind the threats or whether they were serious, he said.
The Hague's municipal government said it was "alert and prepared" for a possible youth protest at the Malieveld, and that the municipality, police and public prosecutor's office were preparing for different scenarios. Police will be visibly present in the city and will "act decisively if the situation calls for it," a spokesperson said, though the authorities did not disclose which specific measures would be taken. The municipality said it was in contact with business owners and shopkeepers in the city centre.
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What we know
- 2+ outlets · Omroep West, NU.nl +1 Shops in The Hague's city centre, including Tommy Hilfiger, Ici Paris XL, Kruidvat and Guess, have boarded up windows ahead of a planned Saturday demonstration.
- 2+ outlets · Omroep West, RTL Nieuws Online calls have urged people to protest at the Malieveld under the name "Generation Z Protest," with some messages mentioning shopping areas and designer stores.
- 1 outlet · Omroep West Some shopkeepers reported receiving threatening phone calls warning their stores would be looted on Saturday, said Bas Winkler of business association BIZ Hofkwartier.
- Official · The Hague municipality The Hague municipality says it is "alert and prepared," with police, the municipality and the public prosecutor's office preparing for different scenarios.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Who is behind the threatening phone calls to shopkeepers, and whether they are genuine, has not been established.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Social media posts calling for Saturday's protest have explicitly invoked recent rioting in Paris, where shops were looted, which is why Hague business owners are taking precautions before any unrest has happened. The scale of the precautions, with several national chains boarding up windows, shows how seriously local shopkeepers are treating threats whose source and seriousness the authorities have not been able to establish.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Why are Hague shops boarding up their windows?
- Shopkeepers are taking precautions ahead of a demonstration planned for Saturday at the Malieveld, amid online calls that referenced recent riots and looting in Paris.
- What do we know about the planned protest?
- Social media calls have urged people to demonstrate at the Malieveld under the name "Generation Z Protest"; some messages referred to heading towards shopping areas.
- How are the authorities responding?
- The Hague municipality says it is "alert and prepared," with police, the municipality and the public prosecutor's office preparing for different scenarios and police due to be visibly present.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.