Unrest in Urk as police abused while responding to Zwarte Piet rally event

About a hundred young people were accused of causing disturbances in Urk Saturday night leading the police to intervene at the scene. They gathered at the area after a call was put on social media platform Instagram for a so-called “Zwarte Piet container rally,” according to Omroep Flevoland.

Many young people were present, some of whom were also dressed as Zwarte Piet. Beer bottles and heavy fireworks were thrown at officers and investigators, resulting in at least one arrest, a police spokesman said.

Officers arrived on scene after receiving reports from worried residents. Several police units were sent to evaluate the situation. At that time the atmosphere still seemed quite calm.

The police said they tried to have a conversation with the young people first, but there was no response, according to the spokesman.

However, when officers were pelted with heavy fireworks and beer bottles, thirty officers from further away were deployed to take action. The officers came fro around the entire province of Flevoland, and even beyond the provincial border.

Before midnight, the situation was back under control and calm was restored. The young people then “left in relative peace,” according to the spokesman.