Fairly calm New Year's despite 576 arrests: police

According to the first preliminary figures of the police, there were fewer incidents during this New Year's than last year. In 2013 the police received 8,413 reports of incidents, this year there were 8,236. This year the police made 576 arrests, compared to 824 in 2013. The number of incidents in which police officers were the victims of physical violence remained virtually unchanged. Last year this happened 73 times, this year 70 times. The number of incidents of verbal abuse against officers declined from 49 incidents last year to 13 incidents this year. Incidents involving fireworks increased by 11 percent. There were also 47 percent more reports of disturbances by young people. The police's mobile unit had to intervene in several places during New Year's. The mobile unit was deployed in Culemborg to enable firefighters to extinguish a fire on the open road. There the police officers and mobile unit vehicle were pelted with bottles and fireworks. No one was injured. There were also incidents in Nijmegen. Firefighters wanted to prevent a fire from spreading to other buildings, but were pelted by bystanders. A blockade was also raised and heavy fireworks were thrown at police officers. In both cases the arrival of the mobile unit was sufficient to restore peace. In Renswoude residents lit an illegal bonfire. Officers could not manage to persuade the residents to end the "party". The group of about 30 people turned against the officers when they tried to turn off the generator. The fire department extinguished the fire and several police officers had to come and disperse the group. The final report regarding incidents during New Year's will appear later this month.