Video: 26 arrested as asylum protest in Apeldoorn turns violent
Authorities arrested 26 people Saturday night during the second consecutive evening of asylum protests in Apeldoorn. Protesters threw fireworks and other objects at officers during the unrest, De Stentor reports. One of the protestors was also struck by a bus.
The unrest unfolded around 7 p.m. at the roundabout between Laan van Maten and Matenpoort, where about 100 people gathered to protest plans for a temporary asylum shelter. According to police, the demonstration was permitted to continue until 8 p.m., but not all participants complied with that limit.
Police said the situation escalated when officers moved in to clear the area. “Officers were pelted with, among other things, fireworks and other objects,” police spokesperson Sven Strijbosch said. Following the escalation, the mayor issued an emergency order.
Calm returned for a moment after the roundabout was cleared. However, later that evening, a group returned. Around 11 p.m., part of the crowd again occupied the roundabout, obstructing traffic, police reported.
Officers intervened a second time, making most of the 26 arrests during that operation. Police said the majority of those were detained for disturbing public order.
During the renewed occupation, a separate incident occurred when a bus driver struck a demonstrator as the roundabout was being blocked. The driver was subsequently surrounded and harassed by protesters but managed to drive away quickly. No injuries were reported.
Additionally, earlier in the evening, at about 7:30 p.m., a 58-year-old man from Apeldoorn was arrested for assaulting a municipal enforcement officer, known as a BOA. The officer sustained minor injuries.
