Last night was particularly restless in the city. The riot police had to intervene in several neighborhoods because heavy fireworks were thrown. The approach this year was to arrest as many rioters as possible, and that was achieved. The police made nearly 80 arrests in total. To do this safely, water cannons had to be used in several locations.
In both Kanaleneiland and Overvecht, large groups of rioters were on the streets severely disturbing public order. Heavy fireworks were thrown at the police, and police cameras were vandalized. A grim atmosphere also hung in some other neighborhoods. Buses were pelted throughout the city, and there were multiple car fires.
Mayor Sharon Dijksma: “What happened last night is unprecedented. Large groups of rioters caused life-threatening situations. The police had to act decisively, and they did very well. It is deeply sad that this is necessary. Such behavior cannot go unpunished. I want to thank the police and emergency services for their hard work; it is very good that these people are willing to serve our city even under such circumstances.”
Police and judiciary are investigating to track down other rioters.
Water cannon deployed
In Overvecht and Kanaleneiland, heavy fireworks and bricks were thrown at the police, and barriers were erected on the streets. The riot police and arrest units could not make arrests because it was too dangerous. For this reason, the water cannon was deployed for the first time in many years. This is a very heavy measure, but it was necessary given the seriousness of the situation. After the riot police intervention and several arrests, the neighborhoods eventually calmed down.
Figures
The ambulance had to be dispatched 19 times, of which 5 were fireworks-related. This is less than previous years. They did not experience violence from bystanders.
Fire department figures:
| Types of incidents | Number |
| Building fires | 4 |
| Car and other vehicle fires | 44 |
| Container fires | 68 |
| Other fires | 24 |
| Resuscitation and ambulance assistance | 0 |
| Other incidents | 0 |
| Total | 140 |
Despite the serious incidents mentioned above, many locations in Utrecht still celebrated joyfully. At the countdown moment at Jaarbeursplein, about 2000 people counted down together to 2026. In addition, the municipality provided subsidies for 27 neighborhood initiatives around New Years Eve.
Help and contact – Municipality of Utrecht
Visiting address
Stadsplateau 1
3521 AZ Utrecht
Postal address
PO Box 16200
3500 CE Utrecht