In the town hall, a council meeting was taking place where the reception of one hundred asylum seekers was on the agenda. Initially, a demonstration was held outside the town hall. The right to demonstrate is an important fundamental right, and everyone is free to make their voice heard. However, what happened yesterday had nothing to do with demonstrating. Heavy fireworks were set off, officers were pelted with objects, and violence was encountered, said Mayor Mark Boumans (Doetinchem) and police chief Albert Scholte (Achterhoek-West). As a result, the Mobile Unit (ME) carried out charges on the square in front of the town hall.
Although calm returned quickly after the ME intervention, one officer may have suffered hearing damage. Another officer sustained minor injuries.
Five Suspects Still Detained
Five of the arrested suspects are men from Doetinchem aged 18, 21, 25, 31, and 37 years old. The two other suspects come from the municipality of Aalten. One of them is a minor boy and the other a 23-year-old man. The suspects were arrested on suspicion of offenses such as assault, vandalism, incitement, and failure to comply with police instructions.
Two of the suspects from Doetinchem have since been released with a fine. The remaining five arrested suspects are still in custody and will be questioned. More arrests are not ruled out.
