During a ceremony in Wageningen, the Netherlands, where Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was set to light the so-called Flame of Liberation alongside his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof, a flare was thrown at Tusk’s feet. Security personnel quickly escorted the Polish leader off the stage.
❗️PILNE❗️
— Koneser Unii Europejskiej (@KoneserUnii) May 5, 2025
Ktoś rzucił w Holandii racę na scenę tam gdzie stał Premier Tusk pic.twitter.com/9Tqt0ifkNX
Despite the disruption, the symbolic lighting of the Flame of Liberation—marking the start of the Dutch Liberation Day commemorations—eventually went ahead. Tusk returned to the stage and lit the torch together with the Dutch prime minister.
According to Dutch media reports, the flare-throwing incident was likely not a targeted attack on Tusk. The flare was thrown from within a crowd, some of whom were holding signs protesting the war in Gaza.
Earlier in the ceremony, a speech by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans was interrupted by demonstrators chanting pro-Palestinian slogans. Local outlets reported that five people were detained by police in connection with the disruptions.