Shopkeepers in the Netherlands are sealing off their storefronts ahead of protests planned for Saturday, driven by concern about possible rioting and looting, according to De Telegraaf. The paper reports that threats have also been directed at businesses.
In The Hague, shops in the city centre are being boarded up out of fear of unrest and plundering, Omroep West reports. The precautions follow a wave of online messages, with AD.nl reporting that young people have been sharing calls for rioting in Dutch cities and that police have visited schools after alarming posts circulated.
The picture of what is actually planned remains unclear. Student unions told NU that they know little about the demonstrations, saying the activity is mainly playing out online. De Gooi- en Eemlander, meanwhile, reported a call for "French-style" riots in the town of Huizen, describing young people egging each other on.
The reports point to a gap between the volume of online agitation and any organised, confirmed event. Retailers appear to be acting on the risk as they perceive it rather than on a settled plan, with threats cited by De Telegraaf as one reason for closing up.
Authorities have not, in the reporting summarised here, announced a confirmed scale for Saturday's gatherings. What to watch next is whether the boarded-up shops stay shut through the weekend and whether police issue further guidance as Saturday approaches.
