Explosive attacks rise in Netherlands as officials demand stricter EU fireworks rules

Explosive attacks are rising across the Netherlands, including a bomb that detonated this past weekend at a garden center in The Hague, prompting calls for stricter European fireworks regulations, NOS reported.

Last year, the country saw 1,543 attacks on homes and buildings, a number on track to be matched in 2025.

Authorities recently seized thousands of kilograms of illegal fireworks in a van on the A15 highway and a warehouse in Enschede, though police say such cases represent only the “tip of the iceberg.”

Carola Schouten, mayor of Rotterdam and chair of Offensief Tegen Explosies, a coalition of police and municipalities tackling explosive threats, warned, “This kind of explosives sometimes literally lies under our children’s beds. The production and trade continue. We can implement measures on the back end, but if the faucet is open at the front end, it’s like mopping with the tap running.”

Many dangerous explosives are legally produced elsewhere in Europe for professional shows but end up in the illegal market. Authorities are pushing for a total production ban and a track-and-trace system to monitor fireworks.

Police warn organized crime networks now control much of the trade. “These are people who are also involved in cocaine or firearms trafficking. There is a lot of money to be made,” said Ko Minderhoud, police fireworks coordinator. Young criminals are increasingly willing to carry out paid attacks, often recruited through social media.

The Dutch government plans to ban all private fireworks next year, potentially making this New Year’s Eve the last with legal displays. Schouten cautioned the ban may have limited impact on illegal trade.