Dutch police opens fire at protestors 'to restore order'; 30 arrested, 5 officers injured

Following the previous night’s ‘orgy of violence’ witnessed in the volatile ‘Together for Freedom’ protests against the COVID-19 restrictions in Brussels, and all of Europe, police in The Hague, and other towns in the Netherlands on Sunday arrested more than 30 anti-COVID-19 demonstrators “to restore order”. As rioters set off fireworks, vandalized public property, set banners and vehicles ablaze and destroyed traffic lights in the Schilderswijk neighbourhood, an armed confrontation broke out between the Dutch law enforcement officers and the protesters, injuring at least 5 officers on Nov. 21.

Citing “disturbing situation," Brussel’s Belga News Agency reported from on-ground that one of the police officers who had sustained a concussion and a knee injury was being rushed to the hospital in midst of the chaos and violence in an ambulance.  Another mounted police officer, meanwhile, suffered hearing damage, and two other Dutch police officers sustained hand injuries. Several cops on horseback and bicycles were deployed to step up the security and maintain law and order. Officers in riot gear used the water cannons and tear gas to dispel demonstrators at the anti-COVID-19 restrictions march that was held by 35,000 demonstrators. 

Demonstration against plans by the government to restrict access for unvaccinated people to venues in Brussels. Credit: AP

Protesters in Brussels started a rally from North station to the Berlaymont building, near the Cinquantenaire Park that “changed in its atmosphere” at around 2:30 pm, with arson, loot, and violence spewing, Brussels-Ixelles police spokesperson Ilse Van de keere told the Belga news agency reporters. “We denounce the restrictive measures of freedom, which have not been a structural solution for health care,” the organisers were announcing at the podium set up on the stage. The agreed route with the police, from the inner ring road and then turning to rue Joseph II may have been flouted the minute protesters launched projectiles and threw fireworks at the officers when the rally turned into riots. 

Protesters shot at, police car set ablaze; Dutch lawmakers call citizens’ behaviour ‘criminal’ and cities a ‘warzone’ 

In downtown Rotterdam, two rioters were hit by the bullets and hospitalized, after cops opened fire on the savage crowd. 51 others, including the minors, were dragged and arrested. The police felt it was “necessary to use weapons” on protesters “to defend themselves" as the rioters ran a rampage setting fire across the city's central shopping district and pelting huge rocks at the officers. The video footages circulating on social media showed at least one police motor vehicle set on fire, while another’s windshield was smashed with stones and objects. 

"The riots and extreme violence against police officers, riot police and firefighters are disgusting to see,” a Dutch politician serving as Minister of Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus said in the statement issued later.

"Protesting is a great right in our society, but what we saw last night is simply criminal behaviour. It has nothing to do with demonstrating,” he further said, using aggravated tone in the statement. 

In the shocking visuals broadcasted by the Dutch broadcaster NOS, a protester was shot at point blank in Rotterdam sending ripples and worsening public anger. Dutch police meanwhile took to its official Twitter handle to write that it was "still unclear how and by whom" that person was apparently shot. A probe was launched into the shooting. "The center of our beautiful city has transformed into a war zone,” Local political party Leefbaar Rotterdam said in a statement.