Two teens arrested for weapons amid rival youth group tensions in Beverwijk and Haarlem
Police arrested two youths Saturday evening in Beverwijk and Haarlem for violations of the weapons and ammunition law amid ongoing unrest between rival youth groups. Authorities have not disclosed the type of weapons involved.
According to AD, the 19-year-old from Beverwijk was taken into custody during a preventive check and remains jailed. A minor in Haarlem was also arrested during a routine youth control but was not detained due to his age. Both are scheduled to be questioned Sunday.
Beverwijk and neighboring Heemskerk have been designated security risk areas, allowing police to conduct preventive searches. Saturday evening, multiple youths and vehicles were checked.
Police also reported two confrontations in Beverwijk’s city center, where young women from Haarlem sought to provoke a group from Beverwijk. Officers used emergency orders to disperse them.
The tensions escalated Thursday after violent content circulated online, including a video of an assault, AI-generated footage of a school explosion, and threats of a shooting. Five secondary schools in the affected towns closed Friday as a precaution.
Authorities reminded residents to avoid involvement in the unrest, either online or on the street, noting unusually high activity in the IJmond region over the weekend.
Earlier, a 20-year-old man from Heemskerk connected to the unrest was arrested Friday for spreading false information and incitement online. Authorities did not disclose the content of his posts.
