Several people were injured this Friday in Rotterdam in clashes with the Police. Riots broke out during a protest against new Covid-19 restrictions.
The center of Rotterdam became the focus of clashes between police Netherlands and demonstrators who took to the streets on the night of Friday to protest against new restrictions by the Covid -19 imposed by the government.
“A demonstration that began tonight at 20 in the Coolsingel ended in riots. Fires were declared in several places. Fireworks were launched and the police fired several warning shots,” police authorities said in a statement.
Police opened fire on protesters and at least seven people were injured in an episode that the Dutch city’s mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb described as “an orgy of violence.”
“On several occasions, the police felt it necessary to draw their weapons to defend themselves,” while the protesters attacked the commercial district of the port city, setting fires and throwing stones and fireworks at the agents, Aboutaleb said, this Saturday at a press conference.
It was confirmed that the troops arrested 15 people and it was found that at least three police mobiles suffered significant damage, as well as motorcycles, bicycles and shop shelters in the Rotterdam shopping center were set on fire.
Calm returned to the streets in the early hours of this Saturday after the intervention of riot police and fire hydrant trucks that managed to disperse the mob, which responded with fireworks, as can be seen in videos that were broadcast on social networks.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced a week ago a partial confinement, along with a series of sanitary restrictions, to curb the contagion of Covid-19 that worries the Dutch authorities ahead of Christmas. Among the measures, it was established that bars and restaurants have to close at 20, at least until December 4.
On the other hand, the government announced that it wants to enact a law that allows companies to restrict the access system with a Covid Passport only to people who have been vaccinated or who have recently overcome the disease, excluding those who are negative in virus detection tests.
March canceled in Amsterdam
A demonstration against the restrictions adopted to curb the coronavirus that was scheduled for this Saturday in Amsterdam was canceled, as announced on social networks.
The move was adopted by the United We Stand Europe organization after seeing how the protests in Rotterdam ended. It was to be the main march against new restriction measures in the Netherlands.