Dutch launch operation Orange Shield to keep NATO summit safe

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

By Charlotte Van Campenhout and Bart Biesemans

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Netherlands has launched operation Orange Shield to protect next week’s NATO summit, deploying combat helicopters, sea patrols, over 10,000 military and police personnel, bomb squads and air defence systems.

About 6,000 delegates and leaders from 32 countries, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will attend the closed-off event at The Hague’s World Forum.

The Dutch navy will deploy seven frigates as part of the country’s largest security operation.

“The aim is to observe everything that’s happening in the area, at sea, and in the air,” commander of the Tromp frigate Dennis Oorburg told Reuters.

Dutch counterterrorism chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg told Dutch broadcaster NOS that cybersecurity risks were also being closely monitored.

Heads of state and ministers from NATO countries will arrive at Schiphol Airport on Monday and be escorted to The Hague via a secure highway corridor.

On Tuesday, Dutch King Willem-Alexander will host a state dinner for NATO leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is set not to attend the summit, has also been invited to the dinner but has not yet confirmed his attendance.

The summit officially begins on Wednesday, with NATO boss Mark Rutte aiming to get consensus from leaders on a 5% defence spending target, demanded by Trump. But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has opposed the higher target.

Protests are expected around the summit, including a planned highway blockade by Extinction Rebellion environmental activists and demonstrations against the war in Gaza and LGBTI+ hate speech. Police say protests will be allowed “within the limits of the law”.

(Reporting by Bart Biesemans from Scheveningen, Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Alison Williams)