Safety measures planned for areas that experienced trouble during New Year’s Eve of 2024

Extra safety measures are being taken in areas that experienced unrest during last New Year’s Eve. Parts of Hedel and Zaandam are designated safety risk areas, which means that police will be allowed to perform preventive searches there.

The center of Hedel, Gelderland, was designated a safety risk area on December 31 and January 2025 after there were riots in the area last year. The municipality has also set up a firework-free zone in this part of the village, as it has on the Ipperakkeren in Kerkdriel, where there was also unrest. In addition, there will be camera surveillance in the center of Hedel from December 18 to January 6.

The municipality of Maasdriel, which Hedel falls under, is also preparing more measures, including area bans for people “who could be a risk for public order and safety.”

The court in Zutphen sentenced four men to jail on Tuesday for violence against emergency services during the last new year in Hedel.

The Poelenburg district in Zaandam has also been designated as a safety risk area. Incidents during the previous New Year's Eve and signals from the police are the reason for this, the North Holland municipality of Zaanstad reported.

Last year, a group of young people threw fireworks at passers-by and cars, causing destruction and starting fires. Officers were pelted with heavy fireworks. This year, extra camera surveillance and more lighting will also be used in the areas.

The municipality of Altena would not say anything about what is being done to maintain peace in Veen around New Year's Eve. Cars are regularly set on fire around New Year's Eve in the village in Brabant.

It happened again last year at a notorious intersection. "We understand the interest, but we do not provide any operational or strategic information about our preparations for New Year's Eve," said a spokeswoman for the municipality.