New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands: riots, arson, and injuries across provinces

New Year’s Eve celebrations across the Netherlands turned chaotic as riots, arson, and injuries were reported in several provinces. The unrest included the burning of a police car in Veen, fireworks explosions causing severe injuries in Wognum, hospitalizations for firework-related injuries and children with alcohol poisoning nationwide, and widespread incidents of violence and property damage in cities like Rotterdam, The Hague, and Culemborg.

In the village of Veen, located in the province of North Brabant, the decades-old tradition of setting car wrecks ablaze escalated into violence. Near the notorious Witboomstraat-Van der Loostraat intersection, where hundreds gathered to witness the annual car burnings, a police vehicle was destroyed. Around 3 a.m., as officers stood roughly ten meters from their patrol car, two young men poured a flammable liquid into the vehicle and set it on fire, according to eyewitness accounts. The Mobile Unit (ME) intervened, using water cannons to disperse the crowd and secure the area, which was littered with the remains of eight burned-out vehicles.

The local government faces growing frustration over the situation's rising costs, with officials estimating the replacement of road infrastructure will again be necessary after this year’s damage. Despite the chaos, police have not confirmed any arrests.

Emergency departments across the Netherlands reported a surge in patients during the night, with many treated for firework injuries and alcohol poisoning. Yara Basta, president of the Dutch Association of Emergency Physicians, told NPO Radio 1, “The number of people visiting emergency rooms was one-and-a-half times higher than on a typical night.” She noted an alarming rise in alcohol poisoning cases among minors under 16, explaining, “Their bodies simply cannot process the amount they consumed.”

The Eye Hospital in The Hague treated 13 patients for firework-related injuries, while hospitals in Rotterdam and Groningen reported treating multiple victims, including a serious case of burns caused by fireworks in Groningen.

In the North Holland village of Wognum, two young men sustained serious injuries when a firework exploded in a field on Westeinderweg around 11 p.m. A spokesperson for the regional safety authority stated, “The nature of their injuries is not yet known.” The incident remains under investigation.

In Alphen aan den Rijn, one of the most significant incidents occurred shortly after midnight when a fire broke out in several construction trailers on Wederikstraat. Flames spread to at least seven parked cars before firefighters gained control around 1:45 a.m. Though no injuries were reported, residents were alarmed, and authorities assessed the structural safety of a nearby scaffolded apartment complex.

A separate blaze in Nootdorp heavily damaged a commercial building on Ambachtshof earlier in the evening. The fire primarily consumed the building’s roof and caused significant water damage to adjacent businesses. No injuries were reported, but the cause remains unclear.

Attacks on emergency responders

In Rotterdam’s Schiebroek neighborhood, police and emergency responders were attacked with stones and fireworks, prompting the arrest of several individuals. Similar unrest erupted in The Hague’s Transvaal district, where fireworks were thrown, causing property damage. The ME also deployed tear gas in Culemborg after repeated confrontations with rioters throwing heavy fireworks at first responders.

In Friesland’s villages of Sint Annaparochie and Marrum, officers were pelted with stones, and fires broke out in both locations. Four arrests were made in Marrum, where the ME restored order after securing the area.

Despite the chaos, New Year’s Eve marked record-high firework sales, with an estimated 118 million euros spent, breaking the previous record set in 2022. While fireworks brought colorful displays in many regions, they also caused significant harm. In The Hague alone, over 20 cars were destroyed in fires, including five vehicles parked together on Hasseltsestraat. Similar incidents occurred in Poeldijk, Leiden, Voorschoten, Gouda, and Reeuwijk, straining firefighting resources.

At The Hague’s Haaglanden Medical Center, emergency care staff treated 20 patients in just two hours, ten of whom suffered firework-related injuries. Frans de Voeght, a care manager at the hospital, remarked, “So far, the situation has been manageable,” crediting additional staff for mitigating patient aggression. “The first wave of patients includes firework victims; later, we expect cases involving violence and injuries from altercations,” he added.

Similarly, Rotterdam’s Maasstad Hospital reported a high volume of emergency room visits but did not admit any patients to its burn center as of 1:15 a.m. According to a spokesperson, the hospital’s hotline received numerous calls from general practitioners seeking advice on treating burns, with consultations facilitated through a secure photo-sharing app.

Efforts to mitigate harm saw mixed results. In The Hague’s Tarwekamp neighborhood, which was designated a firework-free zone following a deadly explosion in December, residents welcomed the relative quiet. One local said, “I still get startled by loud bangs,” expressing relief at the absence of fireworks in the area.

However, unrest in nearby regions highlighted ongoing challenges. The ME intervened in Naaldwijk, where rioters caused disturbances near an apartment complex, and in ’s-Gravenzande, where two individuals were injured in a stabbing incident at a residential address.