During the NATO summit, 27,000 police officers were deployed, who worked intensively with military personnel, members of the Royal Marechaussee, and countless other partners. Chief of Police Janny Knol: Colleagues from all over the country worked closely together. The preparations were very intensive for many colleagues. Everything went according to plan both on the streets and behind the scenes. This is particularly thanks to all the colleagues who went the extra mile at their regular location or elsewhere in the country. I would like to thank all police colleagues for the excellent way they have applied their expertise over the past few days.

With this summit, the police have made an impressive statement, says Willem Woelders. A smooth operation was our top priority. The fact that there were no significant incidents and that all participants and police officers could return home safely is more than satisfactory. They did exactly what they had to do. Over the past few days, there were several occasions when delegations had special requests. We successfully improvised each time. That is the strength of our corps. It was an honor for all of us to do this, and for us as leadership, it was an honor to see all colleagues perform their work in this way.

Tasks

Police officers from all over the country monitored locations, beaches, and the city during the NATO summit, ensured demonstrations went safely, kept routes clear, provided colleagues with shelter, food, and functioning ICT and communication systems, and escorted countless delegations on motorcycles. For this last task, an impressive number of motorcyclists were virtually non-stop active during hundreds of transport movements over the past few days.

Support

About two thousand colleagues from the supporting services of the police worked in various roles during the summit. Together, they were responsible for a massive operation. From planning thousands of shifts to arranging 28,000 hotel stays. Support staff were on standby non-stop at 37 locations in The Hague and far beyond to provide police officers with clothing and equipment, resources, and materials. They developed tailored training for all incoming personnel. All ICT programs and services were tested in advance, cleaned up, and continuously monitored. A complete camera monitoring center was moved from the main office to the De Yp station in The Hague specifically for the summit. Hundreds of motorcycles, vans, and other equipment were also ready on time for the summit.

Demonstrations

Citizens could also exercise their right to demonstrate during the summit. In cities like Rotterdam and The Hague, dozens of demonstrations took place. The vast majority occurred without incidents. At several demonstrations, hundreds of demonstrators were arrested for not complying with police instructions or demonstrating in places where it was not allowed. The police managed to prevent XR demonstrators from blocking the A44 (Monday) and the A12 (Wednesday). The police had to use force several times, and as always, the legality of this force is reviewed afterwards.

Investigation

Presumably due to arson, cables were damaged at the railway in Amsterdam during the night of Monday, June 23, to Tuesday, June 24. This resulted in severe disruptions to train traffic. What exactly happened and whether there may be a connection to the NATO summit is still under investigation. During the night of Saturday, June 21, to Sunday, June 22, damaged cables were also found at the World Forum. Investigation based on camera footage revealed that in this case, a fox was the culprit.
Everyone did fantastic work, both in front of and behind the scenes, concludes Woelders. The police were there: professional, alert, friendly, and helpful. In the operation and in support. We have shown the Netherlands and the world that we can handle such a large security operation.