Dutch police have detained more than 150 people during anti-quarantine protests last night. This was reported by the TV channel NOS.
A wave of protests swept through a dozen cities. At least 151 people were arrested during the riots. At the same time, a third of the arrests were made in Rotterdam, where clashes occurred between the police and protesters. The latter threw stones and firecrackers at law enforcement officers.
According to a similar scenario, events developed in other cities: Haarlem and The Hague, Gelene, Helmond and Zwolle. In ‘s Hertogenbosch, protesters robbed shops and set fire to a car. In Amsterdam, too, it was unsettled – there, protesters tried to overturn a police van. The police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Protests over the curfew imposed by the authorities have been going on for the second night. The day before, police used water cannons and batons in Amsterdam and Eindhoven, where demonstrators began throwing firecrackers at them. In Eindhoven, law enforcement officers used tear gas. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte condemned the recent protests, calling them “criminal violence”.
Earlier, the Netherlands extended until February 9 the almost complete lockdown introduced by the authorities in mid-December. Almost all shops, restaurants and cafes, museums and theaters, parks and gyms are closed in the country, all educational institutions work remotely. In addition, for the first time since World War II, a curfew was in effect in the country. Citizens are prohibited from leaving their homes from 21:00 to 04:30, the police have already issued more than five thousand fines for violating it.