Cops reportedly battered by group of 100 young people

A group of around 100 youngsters attacked police by throwing bottles and stones at officers early on Friday. No arrests were made at the time of the incident, when police say youths also hurled insults at them.

The police said they initially received a call at about 2:15 a.m. about a fight involving around 20 people at a nightlife venue on De Grent in Noordwijk, Zuid-Holland. Several hundred people were leaving the clubs and pubs at the time police responded. While the brawl was mostly over when cops arrived, officers ordered several hundred people to leave the street as a way of maintaining order.

About a hundred chose to disobey the order and began marching towards the Hoofdstraat, police said. They reportedly smashed up a mattress shop nearby. The "noisy and rowdy" group then "turned against the officers, uttered insults, and a few minutes later threw bottles and rocks," a police report stated.

More police arrived on scene, including a canine unit to keep the young people at a distance. "A number of people from the group chastised and pelted the officers again, at which point the police dog was released."

The group ran off, though police briefly detained some people at the scene to note their identity and compile a report, police said.

The owner of Business Class Boxsprings, Michael Heinickle, gave voice to his frustration in an interview with OmroepWest. "It was a mess, it took me two hours to clean it up. It is always the same old song when it comes to going out here. Noordwijk is a big construction site, they can find stones to throw around everywhere, and the municipality does nothing about it".

Police are searching for witnesses to the damage caused at the mattress shop and have asked anyone with information to come forward.