THE HAGUE – The Hague police say they have detained 400 people Sunday, after demonstrators refused to leave a protest against socially spaced measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Although the rally was banned by the municipality, several thousand protesters gathered in the Malieveld district in The Hague, close to the Dutch government seat.

“We have detained approximately 400 people today. Many people have been released since then. ”

The authorities had allowed a short protest in the afternoon before asking the demonstrators to leave.

The protesters were wearing banners that read “Stop locking” and want the Dutch to decide to keep a distance of 1.5 meters (5 feet) from each other.

The police eventually ended the demonstration and detained a group of 400 people who refused to leave.

Hague Mayor Johan Remkes said the show was banned because officials had information from all over the Netherlands that the “troublemaker”, including groups of known football hooligans, was planning to land in The Hague.

“This has nothing to do with the right to protest or freedom of expression. This group was deliberately trying to disturb public order. ”