Police take 19 people into custody for The Hague riots

Police reported on Sunday, they arrested 19 people during the riots on Saturday evening in The Hague. Earlier reports stated authorities took seven people into custody. The 19 people taken into custody were arrested for insult, public assault, disturbing the peace and refusing to follow police orders.

The riots occurred in the vicinity of Vaillantlaan after social media posts called for people to gather in The Hague and Katwijk. Police called for rioters to disperse around 10:30 p.m. A group of people refused to leave and confronted police, according to officers. An emergency order was issued for the Schilderswijk and Transvaal.

The remaining rioters set fire to items, including a garbage container. One person threw a stone through the window of a passing ambulance transporting a patient to hospital.

Rioters also destroyed traffic lights and pelted police with fireworks and stones. In some places, police dogs and officers on horseback were present. Five officers were injured during the riot, one of whom suffered a knee injury and a concussion while arresting someone.

Police restored order around 1 a.m.

Riots had also erupted on Friday night in Rotterdam, leading to 51 arrests and three people injured by gunshots. Minister of Justice Ferd Grapperhaus spoke on Saturday with Rotterdam firefighters who were on duty Friday evening. The firefighters said they had never experienced anything similar.

Rotterdam police chief Fred Westerbeke was angry about rumors that had been spreading about a casualty during the riots on Friday. "Creating fake news to start riots again that goes too far," Westerbeke said on WNL on Sunday. "The rumors simply aren't true."

In the Roermond neighborhood, De Kemp, dozens of young people caused unrest by bombarding police with heavy fireworks on Saturday. Police arrested 12 young people. An emergency order will be in force in Roermond until Monday morning.There were also disturbances in Bunschoten. According to a police spokesperson, about twenty young people set off fireworks in the Utrecht town and threw objects at a police car. The group eventually fled. Police did not arrest anyone.

Rioters also took to the streets in Stein and Urk. Grapperhaus spoke to the mayors of the affected areas and praised them for preventing them from letting the violence escalate further.