New investigation into police brutality in Geldermalsen asylum riots
The court in Arnhem ordered the judiciary to do another investigation into a police officer hitting a woman on the head with a baton during riots in Geldermalsen in 2015. The judiciary dropped the case, but that investigation was incomplete, the court ruled on Friday, ANP reports.
The incident happened during protests against a planned asylum center in Geldermalsen in December 2015. The woman in question says she was on her way home on December 16th, when she was pushed to the ground by police officers. She hit her back and head in the fall. And as she lay on the ground, a police officer hit her with a baton, causing a brain injury.
Her lawyer Esther Vroegh is pleased with the court's decision. "It's a big reprimand for the judiciary, who did not want to criminally prosecute the officer involved and did not conduct adequate investigation", she said to the news wire.
The municipality of Geldermalsen held a meeting to discuss a possible asylum center in the city on December 16th, 2015. Outside the city hall, angry protesters started throwing concrete blocks, stones, glassware and fireworks. A nitrate bomb was also thrown. The furious crowd charged the police, and the Riot Police had a lot of trouble preventing them entering the city hall. Two officers and a few protesters were injured in the clash.
Dozens of people were arrested. Eventually four were given short prison sentences and a fifth got community service.
