Man sentenced to six months for throwing fireworks at police in the Hague

A 19-year-old man, Bourak M., was sentenced to six months in prison by a court in The Hague on Friday for throwing fireworks at police officers during New Year's Eve celebrations in the city. The court condemned the act as highly dangerous, particularly targeting officers carrying out their duties.

The incident occurred around 11:15 p.m. on Marketweg, when M. threw fireworks at two police officers riding bicycles. The officers, who were just a few meters away from the explosion, were not injured but were shocked by the close call. In their written statement to the court, the officers expressed concern that the situation could have ended in serious harm or even death. “Violence against police officers seems to have become normalized, but it is, of course, not normal,” one of the officers remarked.

M. admitted to being intoxicated and acknowledged throwing fireworks into the street but denied targeting the officers. He also claimed he did not realize the fireworks were illegal until later. However, the judge disagreed, stating that M. was aware of the fireworks’ potential to cause harm. “You had already thrown them in the street, so you knew what they could do,” the judge said. The judge further emphasized that fireworks thrown at close range could potentially lead to deadly injuries.

The fireworks involved in the incident were nitrates, which M. had purchased from a nearby supermarket. Despite initially claiming ignorance, the judge ruled that M. was fully aware of the nature of the fireworks and their potential danger.

The sentencing aligns with the prosecution's request, which called for a six-month prison term. The prosecutor acknowledged that, under normal circumstances, a sentence of twelve weeks would have been appropriate for such actions, which amounted to an attempt to cause serious bodily harm. However, the prosecutor noted that the severity of the incident warranted a heavier penalty.

M., who has no prior criminal record, appeared in court for a rapid trial process, which allows suspects to be tried within a few days of the offense. His defense lawyer requested an acquittal but did not indicate whether an appeal would be filed immediately after the hearing.