Climate activist Greta Thunberg detained twice at Dutch protest

The Hague: Climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained twice by Dutch police on Saturday after she and a group of marchers blocked a main road in The...

The Hague: Climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained twice by Dutch police on Saturday after she and a group of marchers blocked a main road in The Hague to protest against fossil fuel subsidies.

Earlier, Thunberg joined hundreds of protesters on a walk from The Hague's city centre to the nearby A12 arterial highway that connects the seat of the Dutch government with other cities including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht.

The march was organised by the Extinction Rebellion environmental group (XR) -- who previously swarmed the highway and blocked off traffic for hours before being sprayed by a police water canon and taken away.

On Saturday, dozens of police officers, including some on horseback, blocked the group from accessing the motorway, warning that "violence could be used" should the marchers try to get onto the road.

Carrying XR flags and placards saying "Stop fuel subsidies now!" and "The planet is dying!", chanting protesters were then locked in a tense standoff with police who formed a wall of law enforcement.