Dozens of arrests in Amsterdam, Rotterdam & The Hague during New Year’s
The police made dozens of arrests in Amsterdam around the turn of the year for several offenses, including setting off heavy fireworks and throwing them at police officers and bystanders. Police and riot police units also intervened at several locations in Rotterdam and The Hague, with about three dozen people arrested in Rotterdam alone.
A police spokesperson in Amsterdam said on Sunday that no officers were injured overnight. "But it is very intense when you are pelted with fireworks." The arrests were made in various places in the city. "We saw groups of people setting off heavy fireworks at various locations," said the spokesperson. Arrests have also been made for public order violations.
The police were forced to take action and arrest people during a fight on Dam Square, where many people were gathered in groups. Officers there also confiscated fireworks, the spokesperson said. In Amsterdam there is a prohibition against setting off New Year’s fireworks, but this was almost completely ignored throughout the capital.
Three people were injured by a stabbing incident on the Beursplein between Dam Square and Amsterdam’s Central Station. At least one person had to go to the hospital. The exact circumstances were still under investigation, the spokesperson said. There were no arrests as of early on New Year’s Day, she said.
The police also had to intervene on Admiraal de Ruijterweg in Amsterdam-West. A number of people were arrested there for throwing fireworks.
Due to the bad weather, the organized fireworks shows in Amsterdam did not take place or took place in an adapted format. For example, there was a show at the Museumplein, but it only included light and music with a countdown to the new year. The show with fireworks and drones at the A'DAM Toren will take place on Monday instead of the scheduled New Year’s event.
Rotterdam police kept busy with dozens of arrests
The police in Rotterdam and the surrounding area arrested 35 people in the first hours after midnight on suspicion of involvement in various offenses. According to a spokesperson, the officers were busy, but the general situation was manageable despite many dozens of incidents.
Even though there is a fireworks ban in Rotterdam, massive amounts of fireworks were set off in the city. The police and street enforcement teams largely did not intervene when observing people setting off fireworks.
Police officers did have to take action in various places, including in the Crooswijk district where the riot police had to break up a large group of young people because they set off extremely powerful fireworks and ignored police instructions to leave. Initially, the police reported that no one had been arrested, but eventually 14 young people were taken into custody there for fighting, insulting authorities, arson and vandalism.
Not all incidents were related to the New Year's Eve celebrations. For example, four people were arrested on the Leliënstein in Rotterdam-Zuid after allegedly shooting a firearm into the air.
In a house on the Schoestraat in Spijkenisse, an argument got out of hand towards midnight. A 35-year-old man was stabbed and injured. He was taken to an area hospital. A 58-year-old woman was arrested.
A restaurant was shot at in the Oranjeboomstraat in the Feijenoord district, and there were no injuries. In the past year, Rotterdam business premises and homes were more often the target of gunfire and explosions.
The Hague police intervene in several places
In several places in The Hague and the surrounding area, the police and riot police units intervened to maintain order. It was not immediately clear how many people were arrested, but arrests were made.
The police had to intervene at a bonfire in the Koppelstokstraat in Scheveningen, where a bicycle was swung at several officers to fend them off. The riot police also had to disperse a group of people in Thijssestraat in the Laakkwartier district.
In Honselersdijk, the riot police intervened after fireworks were thrown at police officers. At least one person has been arrested there.
