Arrests made after Pegida protest in Utrecht

Three persons were arrested after a demonstration by anti-Islam movement Pegida in the Utrecht district of Zuilen on Wednesday evening. Towards the end of the demonstration, the situation became unsettled and there were various vandalism incidents. The detainees were counter-protesters, RTV Utrecht reports.

A handful of Pegida supporters gathered at the Abi Bakr Issidik mosque around 7:00 p.m., where they watched a film about Islam in a cordoned off area. A group of opponents gathered outside the fences.

The evening was reasonably calm until just after 9:00 p.m., when counter-protesters started throwing stones at the police. After the Pegida demonstration ended, people went into the neighborhood and broke car windows and side mirrors, among other things.

The riot police eventually intervened and three persons were arrested.

There will be extra police surveillance in the neighborhood on Thursday night.