On Wednesday, the Public Prosecution Service demanded sentences of up to 9 months imprisonment, including 3 months conditional, against four suspects involved in the riots at Malieveld on September 20. They attacked police officers, bystanders, and journalists. The judge also imposed prison sentences on the suspects.
The suspects who appeared in court on Wednesday were, according to the Public Prosecution Service, guilty of violence during the riots on and around Malieveld on September 20. Violence was also committed against property, bystanders, and journalists in the city center of The Hague.
The suspects were arrested in recent weeks after their photos were shown on Opsporing Verzocht or after the police identified them. The Public Prosecution Service demanded sentences ranging from 6 months imprisonment including 2 months conditional to 9 months imprisonment including 3 months conditional. The demands were higher than in previous hearings because the violence committed by these suspects was more serious and often involved multiple acts of violence at multiple locations in the city. The police judge sentenced them to penalties ranging from 6 weeks including 2 weeks conditional to 3 months including 1 month conditional, mostly combined with community service.
A fifth case was adjourned; this suspect will still have to appear in court on December 4.
More convictions
Including todays hearing, 17 suspects have now been convicted for their involvement in the riots. Occasionally community service was imposed, but mostly weeks- or months-long prison sentences (often combined with community service). Most suspects must also, as demanded by the Public Prosecution Service, pay an amount to the Victim Compensation Fund for Violent Crimes to compensate for the damage caused.
The investigation into the riots is still ongoing. The police are busy mapping the violence committed and identifying perpetrators. The Public Prosecution Service expects more suspects to be arrested in the future.
Large-scale riots
On Saturday, September 20, a group of over a thousand people chose to fight the police around a demonstration. Stones were thrown, fires were set, and damage was caused. Most of the violence was directly aimed at the police, but after hours of unrest, a group of rioters moved into the city center, causing damage there as well.
The Hague had not seen such severe riots in years. The police had to deploy four riot police platoons, two water cannons, mounted police, and tear gas grenades. Only through the use of tear gas could it be prevented that officers would use their firearms. The safety of peaceful protesters could no longer be guaranteed, forcing the demonstration to be ended.
