Suspect in Hague festival needle spiking case to face remand hearing Wednesday

The 31-year-old suspect who was arrested on Saturday because of his possible involvement in a needle spiking incident at the Den Haag Outdoor dance festival was still in custody on Monday afternoon. A police spokesperson said that the man, who is suspected of aggravated assault, will be brought before an examining magistrate for a remand hearing on Wednesday.

A woman is said to have been jabbed with a needle at the festival in the Zuiderpark on Saturday. So far, one person has filed a criminal report, police said. "We are not ruling out the possibility that there may be more. We ask people who know more about the incident, or who may have been victims themselves, to report that to us."

Someone who worked at the festival as a security guard wrote on Facebook on Sunday that there were at least five victims. He also posted photos of what he believes to be the suspect and a cop holding up a plastic bag containing a hypodermic needle. The police said they were aware of the post but would not comment further.

Recently, there have been more reports of people who said that they were jabbed with a needle while at a bar, club, or an event. The victims said they suspected a drug was injected into them. Much remains unclear about this developing trend, called “needle spiking.” The police investigation must show whether this was the case at the festival in The Hague.

The spokesperson could not confirm whether the charge of aggravated assault means that there is evidence the suspect jabbed someone with a needle containing a substance. "We are still investigating that."

In May, six people said they were victims of needle spiking in Kaatsheuvel, leaving one woman unwell. There were also reports of possible needle spiking incidents in Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Venlo. During a debate in parliament on the criminal phenomenon last month, Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz called upon possible victims to always report the crime.

Police said that people who believe they have been drugged should seek medical attention as soon as possible. The Trimbos Institute, a drugs research center, also recommends that people quickly collect a sample of their own urine if they believe they were victimized. Drugs gradually disappear from the body over time, and there is a greater chance that traces of them will be found when a sample is produced soon after the incident.