Covid protesters clash with Dutch police in The Hague

Police fired water cannon against hundreds of firework-throwing protesters in The Hague after Rutte unveiled the "annoying and far-reaching" measures to curb a record spike in coronavirus infections.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday announced Western Europe's first partial lockdown of the winter, with at least three weeks of Covid curbs on restaurants, shops and sporting events.

The crisis required a "hard blow of a few weeks because the virus is everywhere, throughout the country, in all sectors and all ages", Rutte told a news conference on national television.

"Fortunately, the vast majority have been vaccinated, otherwise the misery in the hospitals would be incalculable at the moment."

Restaurants, cafes and supermarkets will have to shut at 8:00 pm for the next three weeks from Saturday, while non-essential shops must shut at 6:00 pm, the Dutch government said.

People will be limited to having four visitors at home and have been advised to work at home unless absolutely necessary.

Public events will be scrapped while football matches including the Netherlands' home World Cup qualifier with Norway next week must be played behind closed doors. Schools will however remain open, and people will be allowed to leave their homes without restrictions.

The government will review the situation on December 3 to see if further measures are needed, Rutte added.

These could include requiring Covid passes to access the workplace, and allowing restaurants to limit admittance to people who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from the disease, while excluding those who only have a negative test.

Cases have soared since the Dutch government lifted most Covid measures less than two months ago on September 25, reaching a record level of more than 16,000 on Thursday and Friday. But the restrictions are politically sensitive.

Around 200 protesters gathered outside the justice and security ministry during Rutte's press conference, throwing stones and fireworks at riot police and setting up barricades, AFP journalists saw.

Police then used water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, as loud bangs and chants echoed through the centre of The Hague and mounted police rounded up the stragglers.

The Hague police said on Twitter they had taken action to "restore public order." The Netherlands suffered its worst riots for four decades in January after the government imposed a night-time curfew to curb a previous Covid surge.

MG