Some 100 young people throw fireworks, food at cops in Brabant town

Around 100 young people turned on the police on the Markt in Boxtel, Noord-Brabant early on Sunday morning. Police officers were attacked and pelted with fireworks, cans and food. The police are investigating and call on witnesses to come forward.

At around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, when the clubs on the Markt started closing, two groups of young people got into a fight with each other, the police said in a statement. They were shouting at each other and someone threw a smoke bomb into the crowd. The police tried to calm the situation down, but a group of "about a hundred" people turned on the police. 

One officer was grabbed from behind, and another was punched in the face, according to the police. There were insults, shouting, pushing and shoving, and fireworks, cans and food were thrown at the officers. Using a megaphone, the police called on the crowd to leave. But when that had no effect, officers twice formed a line and drove everyone off the Markt using batons and a police dog.

A 19-year-old from Boxtel was arrested for kicking the mirror of a police car. He was taken to a police station for questioning and an official report was made against him.

"I find it unacceptable what happened on the Markt", acting mayor Fons Naterop of Boxtel said on Sunday. "The police are going to investigate this properly and I will give them room for this. Based on the results of that investigation, I am going to work with the police, but also  the catering entrepreneurs, to see what measures we can take for the future. In Boxtel you must be able to go out safely. I am confident that we will achieve this."

Multiple videos of the incident were shared on Dutch video streaming site Dumpert. The police are investigating these videos, along with surveillance camera footage from the area.