Dutch farmers in foot-and-mouth clashes
A farming revolt is escalating in Holland against the clearing of cattle and sheep in a huge swathe of the east of the country.
The Dutch Government has reported an 18th confirmed case of foot-and-mouth.
About 200 farmers clashed with police for four hours late on Saturday and one man was arrested after he tried to run over a policeman with a bulldozer.
The incident was in Kootwijkerbroek, the same village where health workers were taken hostage for several hours by farmers on Friday to stop them killing healthy animals.
Earlier on Saturday farmers blockaded roads, preventing trucks from hauling away carcasses of animals that had been slaughtered. About 115,000 have been killed or earmarked for destruction.
Most of the 5,000 villagers and farmers say the government should not be involved, said Tom Louman, the deputy mayor of Barneveld which has municipal authority over the area.
"Some of the people in Kootwijkerbroek doubt the presence of foot-and-mouth. They think the government made it up to clear the surplus of pigs and calves in the area," Mr Louman said.
The farmers were protesting about the government's action plan to clear a contaminated area to create a firewall against the ailment.
