Suspect who threw heavy fireworks at riot police facing 18 month jail sentence

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) called for the court to convict against Louay B., the man accused of throwing illegal fireworks at riot police on December 6, 2022. The incident happened after Morocco won a match at the FIFA World Cup. The OM is recommending 18 months in prison, with six of those suspended if certain conditions are met.

Five officers suffered hearing damage that night. “Violence against police is always unacceptable,” the prosecutor said on Wednesday in the District Court in Amsterdam.

B. threw a Cobra 6 firecracker, an illegal firework, at riot police on the Mercatorplein who were standing opposite the rioters. Five of the officers pressed charges, and two of them were present in court.

The OM said that B. created a life-threatening situation. “The riot police officers experienced it like a bomb.” B. is suspected of severe assault.

The suspect regrets his actions. “The officers are there for our safety, and then I do something so stupid,” he said. “I did not think it through.”

He spoke about peer pressure, saying he was on the square with friends where Morocco’s win was celebrated. The celebrations turned into riots.

The prosecutor was not convinced by B.’s excuse. “We see you laughing on the camera footage,” he said.

B. responded, “I was not laughing; I was looking down.”

An officer told the court that he has been suffering from tinnitus since the incident, which is a permanent ringing sound in the ear. “We were just doing our jobs,” he said. “We were scared to death. You just want to come home safely to your family.”

B.’s lawyer claims that there is no “serious” bodily harm. “Other things could have caused the tinnitus. There were other disturbances.”

The suspect hopes for a fine as he worries about losing his job. “A jail sentence would have devastating consequences for my client,” the lawyer added.

The police shared images of suspects in the riots that happened after the World Cup matches in Amsterdam. Several people were arrested.

The court will announce its verdict on June 12.