Dutch police opened fire on tractor-riding farmers who were protesting a government climate proposal late Tuesday in the north of the Netherlands.

For weeks now, Dutch farmers have organized a nationwide protest against plans to cut nitrogen oxide emissions from farm animal manure and the use of ammonia in fertilizer in half by 2030. Government officials say the plan is necessary to reduce “harmful” pollutants, but the farmers are complaining that the government’s standards would destroy their livelihoods.

As part of their demonstrations against the government, farmers have used tractors to block highways and cut off supermarket distribution centers, Reuters reported.

On Tuesday, police said they fired warning shots and arrested several people after some of the protesters drove their tractors toward officers at a highway entry lane in Friesland, according to German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Dutch police shot at unarmed and peaceful farmers protesting to have their land and livelihoods returned

They’ll kill farmers! This is where we are headed. Be ready pic.twitter.com/bnUMSmKlV3

— nobody 🇺🇸 (@ElijahSchaffer) July 6, 2022

But the protesters have contested the police account, claiming there was no threat to the officers. (Read more from “WATCH: Police Open Fire on Farmers Protesting Job-Destroying Climate Rules” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

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