Police Union Threatens to Disrupt Tour de France
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, June 24 (UPI) — A police officers’ union in the Netherlands is threatening to disrupt the Tour de France bicycle race because of a pay dispute with the government.
The prestigious three-week-long bicycle race typically begins outside of France, the winds its way through France to Paris. This year it will begin in Utrecht, Netherlands, on July 4, in what is known as the “Grand Depart.” The ACP union announced it intends to block a bridge in Rotterdam during the race’s second stage, on July 5, to protest the lack of a collective bargaining agreement with the Dutch government after three months of negotiations.
The union announced the blockade will leave the cyclists standing still for a period of time, as police officers conduct traffic checks of the convoy of support vehicles which travel with the racers.
“The checks will stop when it’s clear from live broadcasts in several European countries that the Tour de France cyclists have stopped because police are taking action for better working conditions,” a police union statement said.
The union has targeted Netherlands sports events in the past to publicize its grievances. A first-division soccer match was cancelled in May after the police announced its security could not be guaranteed.
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