Over 150 people arrested in the new corona riots in the Netherlands

Photo: ev / Unsplash

New riots broke out in the Netherlands on Monday, with angry protesters protesting against coronavirus restrictions for the third night in a row.

Protesters gathered in several cities on Monday night. Among other things, the protests were launched in opposition to the introduction of a curfew.

The police received reports of riots, vandalism, and fireworks. Riot police used water cannons in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Amersfoort in the east, and the small town of Geleen in the south of the country, Dutch media reports.

Hundreds of young people took part in the riots and attacks on the police in ten cities. 

Journalists and photographers were also attacked in the riots, and more than 150 people have been arrested, according to the police, the news agency DPA reports.

Young people

On Monday, police in Amsterdam stated that they had arrested eight people. In both Rotterdam and Geleen, it was mostly teenagers and young people in their 20s who were behind the riots. 

But it is not clear whether the curfew was the reason why they ended up in street fights with the police.

“At the moment, there is a confrontation between riot police and troubled youths in the center of Geleen, where fireworks are being thrown,” Dutch police wrote on Twitter on Monday.

By midnight, the police were mostly in control of the situation. About 50 people were arrested in Rotterdam alone, the TV channel NOS reported.

The curfew, which was introduced on Saturday, applies from 9:00 PM to 4:30 AM. It was introduced due to fear that more infectious virus variants will spread. 

It is the first time since World War II that a curfew has been introduced in the Netherlands.

Rutte’s reaction

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte condemned the unrest during the weekend, when – among other things – protesters attacked the police and set fire to a corona testing center.

Hundreds of people were arrested in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and other cities.

“It has nothing to do with protests. It is criminal violence, and we will treat it like that,” he said.

The Netherlands has also implemented a number of other measures to tackle the infection, including the closure of schools and shops that do not sell necessary goods.

Source: #Norway Today, #NorwayTodayNews

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1 Comment on "Over 150 people arrested in the new corona riots in the Netherlands"

  1. Any excuse to get out in the streets and have a nice social event rioting, I suppose.

    Rights do not license anyone to endanger others … with this deadly disease.

    Probably the usual anarchists, and they should be dealt with decisively … if the Netherlands is capable of that.

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