Soldier arrested for shooting fireworks at enforcers in Katwijk over New Year's

The Koninklijke Marechaussee arrested a soldier in Den Helder on Thursday for shooting fireworks at enforcement officers in Katwijk on New Year’s Eve. It was not immediately clear if the suspect was also from Katwijk or if they were only visiting.

Bystanders caught the incident on video and shared it with Omroep West. It shows a man pointing a tube of lit fireworks at the enforcers’ cars. The fireworks fly around the enforcement officers, exploding next to and against the car.

The arrest happened in Den Helder, the Noord-Holland city where several Dutch naval facilities are located. The soldier is suspected of vandalism and attempted aggravated assault, said the Marechaussee, a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military.

Den Helder is home to the Royal Netherlands Navy, including the commander’s office, the Royal Naval College, and a maritime helicopter air base. The city hosts one naval barracks, and another is located just across the water on Texel.