Gathering on Dam Square

Thousands of demonstrators gathered on Dam Square in central Amsterdam on Saturday afternoon for the city's annual climate march. The event brought together people of all ages to demand immediate policy changes from Dutch political leaders. Musical acts Merol and Son Mieux performed on the central stage prior to the departure of the march. Participants carried protest signs addressing global heat records set during the preceding summer months. Slogans displayed across the square included Greenpeace banners reading that this was the coldest summer of the rest of your life, alongside chants such as "make love, not CO2" and "holy moly, stop with oil." Other demonstrators held banners protesting data center resource consumption, asserting that water belongs to fish rather than technology infrastructure.

March through the capital

The 2.5-kilometer march departed Dam Square at 14:00, heading toward its destination at Museumplein. The procession moved along the Rokin, crossed Muntplein, and continued down Vijzelstraat. Demonstrators waved flags representing Extinction Rebellion alongside Palestinian flags throughout the walk. The Klimaatcrisis Coalitie, an alliance uniting environmental groups such as Milieudefensie and Extinction Rebellion with civic organizations, coordinated the logistics of the event. Participants called on authorities to accelerate the transition to renewable power and halt public support for polluting industries.

Demands on the Jetten cabinet

Protesters focused their attention on the national government and Prime Minister Rob Jetten as budget negotiations approached. Activists raised concerns regarding early details from the leaked Miljoenennota, the government's annual budget memorandum. Klimaatcrisis Coalitie representatives stated that existing measures fall short of binding national climate objectives. Coalition spokesperson Merel Fiets called on the government to act immediately:

“The initial reports about the leaked Miljoenennota are somber. With current policy we will not meet the climate goals, so those measures are very urgently needed. Today we show with very many people how important we consider this. Cabinet, take action now!”

Speeches on fossil fuel phaseout

Speeches delivered from the stage on Dam Square emphasized the necessity of equitable environmental policies. Environmental science Nobel laureate Joyeeta Gupta and author Babah Tarawally addressed the crowd before the march commenced. Gupta called for widespread public participation to compel government action toward ending reliance on fossil fuels. She stated that state leadership is essential to make the transition fair, addressing the audience directly:

“We must build a mass movement to phase out fossil fuels. Both in our own interest and that of the world. The government must lead and make this possible in a fair way.”

Historical protest turnouts

Saturday's event follows a series of annual climate marches held in Amsterdam, typically organized during the autumn. In 2023, organizers recorded approximately 85,000 participants along the same route between Dam Square and Museumplein, the highest attendance reported for a Dutch climate demonstration. In 2024, the annual demonstration took place at the Zuidas business district, drawing an estimated 15,000 people according to organizers. Coalition leaders organized the 2026 route to return through the city center as national budget debates get underway.

202385,000

202415,000

2023

85000 people

2024

15000 people

Data from the article text