DutchNews.nl - Hundreds arrested at New Year (update)

Riot police were called out to deal with a number of incidents during the New Year celebrations and hundreds of people were arrested nationwide. And in the north and east of the country, heavy fog caused visibility to drop to just several metres in places.

In Apeldoorn the fog led to the emergency services only operating when lives were at stake, while in Groningen police either walked or used bikes to get to incidents. The fog caused several accidents on the roads. On the A28 near Putten, one person was killed when some 30 vehicles were involved in a pile-up.

Most incidents were reported in the big cities. In the Hague region, 188 people were arrested and eight police officers slightly injured in a number of incidents. Fire officers were called out to deal with some 800 fires and dozens of cars were set on fire, news agency ANP reported.

In Utrecht, police said it was a 'restless' night. Over 44 people were arrested and at least 22 cars were torched.

In Amsterdam, there were several fights and two German boys were arrested for shooting guns into the air. At least 20 people were taken to hospital and five are in a serious condition, news agency ANP said. In total fire engines dealt with some 350 incidents.

One person died and three others were injured when their car went into the water by the Piet Heinkade in the city centre. Two are still very seriously ill, NOS tv reported on Tuesday morning.

Some 25,000 people gathered on the city's Dam square for the city council-organised count-down to midnight, which was closed off by police after it became too full.

ln Rotterdam, where police said the evening passed relatively peacefully, some 85 people were arrested. Around 15,000 people were at the Erasmus bridge for organised celebrations.

In Vlaardingen, four people were injured in a stabbing incident and a number of windows were broken in a powerful firework explosion.

In Rozenburg, close to Rotterdam, 40 people were arrested after they went on the rampage through a shopping centre. And in Woudenberg riot police broke up a gang of youths who were throwing fireworks at police and the fire brigade who were attempting to douse a fire, NOS said.

Riot police were also used in Nijmegen and Tiel but there were no arrests, ANP reported. In the Leiden region, there were over 50 arrests, police said.

In Noord-Brabant and Zeeland the celebrations passed of largely peacefully, police said. But in the village of Beek en Donk, four homes were badly damaged after what police described as a 'firework bomb' exploded, the Telegraaf reported.

And in Friesland, there were 27 arrests, largely for setting fire and interfering with the emergency services. In Groningen, where the mist was particularly heavy, there were 13 arrests and several cars were set on fire, the Telegraaf said.

Is this called a celebration in the netherlands? Sounds more like a civil war!

By yvonne amarillas | January 1, 2008 4:15 PM

I agree with you, Yvonne. I have never ever seen so much fireworks in my life. Kind of ironic when we talk about how we can help poor people around the world and saving the environment.

By xen | January 1, 2008 7:48 PM

I don't understand why people go crazy over just another day in life..after all time and dates are created by human being..I prefer to sleep in house then to join such madness and believe me I am not lazy or less energetic guy; I use my energy where it makes sense.
Also, these occasions are generally much awaited by guys who just want to molest girls and thats the only reason for this war like situation.

By Shailesh | January 1, 2008 9:44 PM

Euro is strong; Unemployment is down; Views are liberal; Police are tolerant; Economy is strong with budget surplus...Can somebody explain this kind of behaviour?

By Smartguy | January 2, 2008 4:08 AM

This is due to unlimited freedom from which. To protect life and property on such occasions, people must be bound by law enforcement. Education is needed to be given in the educational institutions.

By Muhammad Ayub | January 2, 2008 9:12 AM

I came to realize why there are so few little birds in this beautiful country. The majority of them perish on the eve of every New Year. Only crows can survive after the firework bombing.

By newcomer | January 2, 2008 12:52 PM

Now don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with watching a well organized fireworks show, i.e. something done by the cities, or the government. What I don't get is why they still sell firecrackers? And not just little firecrackers like in the old days, these things are M-80's! For a week now I've heard them going off at all hours of day and night. Pets are scared to death, not to mention the birds. To me it is such ignorant behavior. Oh and then lets leave all the discarded refuse (red shreds of paper) everywhere!!!

By Amsterdamme | January 2, 2008 1:26 PM

Why is this a surprise to anyone? Most large cities will display this type of behavior. Human nature is the reason. Some of us have the ability to be respectful, enlightened, rising above our baser inclinations. Others allow it to manifest itself at times, and even cultivate it.

Why would anybody with a normal amount of intelligence and has lived long enough to observe the darker side of what we as humans are capable of, be surprised by New Years shenanigans? We have much darker examples like planes flying into sky scrapers, "pre-emptive" invasions because a threat may materialize one day, or every case of child abuse ever committed.

By John | January 2, 2008 2:27 PM