13 people arrested after Eritrean groups riot in The Hague, six officers injured

13 people have been arrested following the riots surrounding a gathering of the Eritrean community at the Opera conference center in The Hague on Saturday evening. The police announced on Sunday afternoon that six officers were injured.

The arrested suspects are men between the ages of 19 and 36. According to a police spokesperson, they are of Dutch or Eritrean nationality as far as is known. The confrontation on Saturday evening was between pro-government and anti-government Eritreans, as the police and the municipality had previously reported.

Politiewagen in de brand. Traangas speelt zwaar op. Ademen gaat op sommige momenten moeilijk en ook ogen doen pijn. #rellen #DenHaag. pic.twitter.com/oZPiQXcIuk

— Owen (@_owenobrien_) February 17, 2024

UPDATE: tijdens de rellen op de #Fruitweg met Eritreeërs is een politievoertuig in brand gestoken. https://t.co/aG13e1Al7b pic.twitter.com/rDaU4LqneS

— Regio15.nl (@regio15) February 17, 2024

The riot broke out as one of the parties had convened a meeting in the Opera venue, which was attended by the opponents, the police reported. During these riots, stones, fireworks and other items were thrown at police officers, emergency workers and the fire brigade.

Relschoppers dringen een ingang binnen bij de #Opera. Ramen gaan eruit en er wordt geprobeerd binnen te komen. Brandweer is ook weer vertrokken en kan niet blussen. #rellen #DenHaag. pic.twitter.com/q2U0BOUfIb

— Owen (@_owenobrien_) February 17, 2024

Two police officers suffered hand injuries. Another police officer suffered injuries to his teeth. In addition, one officer was injured because he was hit by a police car. An officer also became unwell when tear gas was used. "Our colleagues were confronted with very intense and serious violence out of nowhere," said General Commander Mariëlle van Vulpen. "It is very regrettable that colleagues were injured and that other officers were also severely assaulted, which is unacceptable. Together with the public prosecutor's office, we are conducting an extensive investigation into these incidents."

It was allegedly young people from the Eritrean organization Brigade Nhamedu who sought the confrontation on Saturday evening, Mayor Jan van Zanen said in the evening after receiving information about the incident. The British newspaper The Guardian had previously written about this group that it concerns young Eritreans living abroad. They are actively campaigning against the government's policies. Previously, there had also been clashes between this group and pro-government Eritreans in other European countries.