Wave of youth violence engulfs Schiedam and Rotterdam; 13 arrested in crackdown
A wave of violence linked to rival youth groups from Schiedam and Rotterdam has led to a sweeping crackdown by Dutch authorities, with 13 suspects arrested in connection with armed robberies, stabbings and firearm incidents over the past three months, Rijnmond reports.
“This is shocking,” Schiedam Mayor Harald Bergmann said Friday. “It is unbelievable how young boys, without any hesitation, commit such serious acts.”
The violence stems not from drug conflicts but from what Bergmann described as “hate, envy and struggle.” Authorities say the conflict is longstanding and repeatedly flares up. Young people arrange street fights and record themselves in drill rap videos that reference their neighborhoods by postal codes.
“They feel like gangster-like boys, walking around with knives and sometimes firearms,” Bergmann said. “They are looking for adventure or a certain status, and they have no sense of the consequences.”
Officials say the groups are not traditional gangs because their membership constantly changes. Sometimes they act together; other times alone. Some are suspected of additional crimes, including placing explosives at homes and retrieving drugs from containers in the port.
Between March and June, Schiedam recorded 12 robberies targeting supermarkets, convenience stores and a Chinese restaurant. Investigators used security camera footage, doorbell cameras and neighborhood tips to identify suspects.
Thirteen young people, ages 12 to 22, have been arrested. Authorities linked a portion of the suspects to two rival youth groups.
In March, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed by a group of peers at a sports field in Schiedam. Nine suspects were taken into custody for the attack, which police say is connected to the rivalry. However, the fatal stabbing of a 13-year-old boy named Joni was unrelated to the feud.
After multiple serious incidents involving teenagers, the city implemented targeted stop-and-search measures focused on young people. During the first phase, officers seized several weapons, including a 30-centimeter knife carried by a 15-year-old girl, a homemade weapon from a boy and a bag of bullets from a 13-year-old.
Although weapons are now reportedly rarely found during searches, the initiative led to eight home visits and inspections of bedrooms belonging to youths caught with weapons. In August, Bergmann and the police will decide whether to continue or relocate the checks.
“It is a small group of young people causing a lot of misery,” Bergmann said. “We must prevent them from destroying not only their own future but also that of others.”
Around the core group is a wider circle of followers described as impressionable and vulnerable. “Perpetrators are sometimes also victims,” Bergmann said. “They are recruited and don’t dare to say no.” He said some have social difficulties, low literacy skills or intellectual disabilities.
Police say early intervention is essential. “Within the police, we share information, especially among youth officers: who is hanging out where, what someone is doing, and who their parents are,” a police spokesperson said.
Officers have conducted numerous conversations with both parents and young people to build trust and steer them away from crime.
Still, the police stress they cannot address the problem alone. “Keeping young people on the right track requires cooperation with other organizations,” the spokesperson said. Bergmann is working closely with Rotterdam Mayor Carola Schouten to find solutions.
