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HomeWorld NewsWatch | Holland shocked on the second night of the Covid riots

Watch | Holland shocked on the second night of the Covid riots

  • The protest turned violent for the second consecutive night in the Netherlands.
  • Last Saturday, the Netherlands re-entered the first partial blockade in the winter in Western Europe under restrictions of at least three weeks.
  • Organizers said they opposed Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s plan to exclude unvaccinated people from bars and restaurants.

Due to the Dutch government’s coronavirus measures, a new riot broke out late Saturday, with rioters throwing rocks and fireworks at the police in protest against becoming violent for the second consecutive night in the Netherlands.

Police in riot gear rushed to a group of demonstrators in The Hague, and at a busy intersection, water cannons were used to extinguish a bunch of burning bicycles. Five police officers were injured and at least seven people were arrested.

According to Dutch media, riots also broke out in the towns of Oulk in the central part of the “Bible Zone” and southern cities in the province of Limburg. Angry fans have disrupted two closed-door football matches due to coronavirus regulations.

The night before, a “violent carnival” broke out in the port city of Rotterdam. The police shot and wounded 3 people and arrested 51 suspects.

Last Saturday, the Netherlands re-entered the first partial blockade in the winter of Western Europe under a restriction of at least three weeks. It is now planning to ban unvaccinated people from entering some venues, the so-called 2G option.

Earlier Saturday, thousands of people took part in peaceful protests in Dutch cities against the plan to restrict access to certain places for unvaccinated people, but the atmosphere changed later on Saturday.

‘They are angry’

“These people here are protesting against 2G and the blockade,” Ferdi Yilmaz, owner of The Hague pizzeria, told AFP. “They are very angry about this.”

Yilmaz said that the police dragged several people out of his shop, smashed the glass on the front door, and beat him on the hand “for no reason”.

The AFP reporter saw that the police arrested several people in the working-class community of the Schilderswijk community in The Hague. Plainclothes police once dragged a woman out of the car.

The Hague police said in a statement that five policemen were injured, one of whom was taken to the hospital due to a concussion, and two were hearing impaired due to huge fireworks.

They said a stone thrown by the mob smashed the window of an ambulance carrying patients.

In addition, in the western city of Alkmaar and the eastern city of Almelo, between AZ-NEC and Heracles-Fortuna Sittard, supporters broke into two first-class football matches. Due to Covid restrictions, these matches were played without fans. Proceed under.

Dutch media said the game was suspended for a few minutes.

Thousands of protesters opposed to the latest measures gathered in Amsterdam early on Saturday, although a group earlier in the day cancelled their rally due to violence the night before.

Another thousand people marched through the southern city of Breda near the Belgian border, holding banners with slogans such as “No Blockade.”

Organizers said they opposed Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s plan to exclude unvaccinated people from bars and restaurants.

“People want to live, that’s why we are here,” said organizer Joost Eras.

But “We are not thugs. We came peacefully,” he said.

Around him, the atmosphere was full of festivals, and some protesters danced behind floats with DJs. These floats were called “party buses.”

‘Violent carnival’

The latest demonstrations took place after the Rotterdam riots. The police said that during the riots, they fired warning shots and aimed shots at the same time, and used high-pressure water guns.

“Three thugs were injured by bullets. They are still in the hospital,” the police said, adding that the Dutch National Criminal Investigation Department will investigate “whether the injuries were caused by police bullets.”

A total of seven people were injured in Rotterdam, including the police.

The police said that half of the arrested were minors, and the rioters came from all over the country, and the police are still looking for more suspects.

The police had earlier stated that they had fired multiple warning shots, but “at one time the situation became so dangerous that the police had to shoot at the target.”

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Abtarab condemned his so-called “violent carnival” and added: “The police believe it is necessary to draw out police weapons to protect themselves in the end.”

The Dutch government also condemned the violence in Rotterdam as “shocking.”



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