In the north and centre of the Netherlands, serious disruption to train services began early on Tuesday, 15 September. According to the operator ProRail, around 20 sections of track were blocked by pipes and cables, triggering alarms in the monitoring system indicating that the tracks were occupied or unsuitable for trains to pass.
In total, more than 35 instances of service disruption were recorded. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that, even after the tracks had been cleared, foreign objects kept reappearing. ProRail is convinced that this is not a coincidence, but a deliberate act, possibly an act of sabotage.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the incidents. Activists who have previously been involved in various disruptions and blockades deny any involvement, according to the NOS.
Interestingly, this incident coincided with Prinsjesdag, when the Dutch government presents its draft budget. Furthermore, tensions in the country have escalated due to protests by farmers, who set hay alight on motorways as a sign of discontent with certain government decisions. However, the Farmers Defence Force, the organisation behind these actions, has stated that it had nothing to do with the disruption to rail services.
The situation remains unclear, and the authorities now face the task of investigating what happened to prevent similar incidents in the future.