The diplomatic tensions between the Netherlands and Turkey rose on Saturday night after a convoy of Turkey's Minister of Family and Social Policies Betul Sayan Kaya was halted for hours close to the Turkish General Consulate in Rotterdam.

Kaya wanted to visit the Turkish consulate to speak at a rally for a "yes" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum in Turkey.

Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government had withdrawn the landing rights for the plane of Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who had the same plan.

Kaya entered the country at the German-Dutch border in a convoy by car and drove straight to the consulate in Rotterdam. Near the consulate, her car was stopped by the police.

"The Netherlands is violating all international laws, conventions and human rights by not letting me enter Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam," the Turkish Minister stated through twitter.

The support of Turkish-Dutch citizens, holding Turkish flags, near the consulate grew to hundreds of people during the evening.

Around 10 p.m. local time, the Dutch military police started to clear some streets, without major incidents occurring so far, although Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported a rising tension.

The Turkish government planned to campaign in the Netherlands, as in other European countries, to urge Dutch citizens with the Turkish nationality to vote for a stronger position for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Dutch government, citing "the public order was at stake", objected the campaign by Turkish officials and had made several attempts to prevent them from coming.

Related:

Dutch embassy in Turkey closed off due to "security reasons"

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Entrances of Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, along with their residences, are closed off late Saturday due to "security reasons," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Xinhua.

The move came after the Dutch police closed a road of Turkish consulate residence in Rotterdam on Saturday after Turkish minister insisted to hold a rally in the country. 

Protest bursts outside Dutch embassy in Turkey

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags were gathering in front of Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest Dutch bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum.

Dutch government has made the issue a part of their elections on March 15, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus on Saturday said in a televised interview to NTV news broadcaster. Full story  

Turkish FM calls Dutch flight ban "scandal from every angle"

ISTANBUL, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday blasted the Dutch denial of his entry by air as a "scandal from every angle and unacceptable," while another Turkish minister decided to enter the Netherlands by land amid a worsening diplomatic row.

"The move would not remain unrequited," the top Turkish envoy told reporters in Istanbul. "This is the most extreme point in diplomacy." 

Turkey asks off-duty Dutch ambassador to extend leave as row spirals

ANKARA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday asked the Dutch ambassador to Turkey to extend his leave and not to return to his position "for some time," local Daily Sabah reported.

The move came after Turkish Family and Social Policies Minister Betul Sayan Kaya's vehicle was stopped by Dutch police from entering the consulate in Rotterdam late Saturday. 

Some Dutch parties leaders voice support to Rutte over blocking visit by Turkish FM

THE HAGUE, March 11 (Xinhua) -- While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks likening his government to "fascists and Nazis" as "bizarre," some parties leaders in the Netherlands have voiced their support to the government's decision to cancel the landing rights of a Turkish plane with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on board.

Turkish FM Cavusoglu wanted to speak at a Turkish referendum rally in Rotterdam on Saturday. Despite a call by the Dutch government not to come, he wanted his visit to go through. 

Source: Xinhua