Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors chained themselves to the tunnel leading to the Rijksmuseum entrance in Amsterdam on Saturday, temporarily shutting down one of the Netherlands’ most popular museums.
The climate activists unfurled two large banners at 08:30 this morning, half an hour before the museum’s usual opening time, urging the venue to "say no to ING.". Another banner was daubed with: "No art on a dead planet."
The museum’s spokesperson responded, stating, "The Rijksmuseum is a centre of art and history. Ensuring the safety of visitors, staff, and the collection is our priority. Any action threatening this is unacceptable."
The activists are protesting against the museum’s sponsorship with ING, the "biggest financial driver of the climate crisis," according to an XR spokesperson. They argue that the museum is providing a high-profile polluter with an opportunity to hide behind Dutch masterpieces by accepting money from ING, stressing the need for this to end.
ING bank responded to XR’s actions, claiming they are taking things too far. If they take issue with ING’s financing program, they should direct their concerns to the bank itself, a spokesperson advised. They highlighted that the bank remains open for dialogue.
33 activists arrested
On Saturday afternoon, Dutch police reported it had detained the activists. A local authority spokesperson reported that the police initially requested the activists to relocate their demonstration to another area on Museumplein square, allocating them some time to comply.
However, the protesters did not move, leading the police to break the chains locking the activists together. In total, 33 individuals were arrested.
As a result of the protest, the museum only opened its doors after 14:00.
