Photo © Marnix Manschot photography
Police Chief Yvonne Hondema of the Central Netherlands unit is shocked by the many incidents and the extreme violence against emergency workers. ‘The fact that emergency workers are attacked in this way remains unprecedented and worrying. I hope that from the next New Years Eve - with the ban on consumer fireworks - we take a step towards a new normal: a New Years Eve that is festive and where violence has no place. We need society for that.’
Continuous public order problems
Remarkably, this New Years Eve, from 7:00 PM until about 3:00 AM, despite the deployment of many police officers, continuous public order problems occurred in parts of the city of Utrecht.
Water cannon
Police officers in Utrecht (Kanaleneiland and Overvecht) were massively and almost continuously attacked by groups of youths, using heavy fireworks. The water cannon was deployed a few times to protect emergency workers from the much violence applied by groups of youths. ‘I express my appreciation to my colleagues who had to do their work under very difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, a colleague was injured.
Attacked
Other municipalities also experienced several major incidents during New Years Eve, such as in Amersfoort and Zeist where officers were attacked. In Leerdam, the deployment of the Mobile Unit was necessary to restore order. In Gooi- en Vechtstreek and Flevoland, New Years Eve remained ‘manageable’.