Cops attacked in Roosendaal, Doetinchem; "Unacceptable", police chief says
Violence was used again police officers working the party scene in Roosendaal and Doetinchem during the early hours of Sunday morning. One officer was injured and a total of eight people were arrested.
"Another weekend with excessive and unacceptable violence against colleagues", National Police chief Erik Akerboom said on Twitter. "In Roosendaal and Doetinchem, among others, things went wrong against colleagues 'just' doing their jobs. Local and national measures are once again necessary."
At around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, a group of around 10 people started fighting in Club 22-24 on Grutstraat in Doetinchem, AD reports. Things got out of hand when the police helped get this group out of the club. The group turned against the police, quickly growing to around 50 men. Because of the aggression used, the police had to form a line to protect themselves. "And that says a lot, because that doesn't happen often", a police spokesperson said to the newspaper.
One police officer sustained minor injuries. Four people were arrested.
In Roosendaal, police officers were pelted with fireworks, bottles and glasses on Markt at around the same time as the incident in Doetinchem. This happened after a few people were asked to leave a bar due to misbehavior. Their eviction from the bar drew a crowd outside, which turned against the police, according to AD. A 16-year-old girl and four men aged 18, 20, 26 and 27 were arrested.
Exactly what local and national measures Akerboom wants to be taken, he did not say. But he supported stricter penalties for violence against aid workers early in September when officers were attacked in Rotterdam, Utrecht and Hilversum. "I am waiting with interest for the bill to abolish the possibility of community service in the event of violence against aid workers", he said at the time. In the meantime, it was made easier for police officers to report violence used against them via their mobile phones.
