at 77 years of age he may well be mentally near enough on the same level as the teenagers ... but far physically weaker --- have they arrested, and more importantly, re-educated the teenagers for persecuting him?

By Gerard | January 5, 2010 8:47 AM

I personally don't blame the guy. We have had squadrons of 'youths' coming around thinking its just ok to throw snowballs at peoples windows. Of course it got more fun on Dec 31st when the game groups decide it is ok to shoot fireworks at peoples houses. As usual, the police were busy catching people for speeding in their cars, and showed up to deal with yet another situation far too late....

By Mike B | January 5, 2010 10:37 AM

This seems to be the Dutch way of dealing with problems. Not the person causing the problem is deal with yet the person reacting in an understandable manner gets arrested.
He warned them and they don't listen.
Typical Dutch kids. Parents don't teach them any boundaries.

By Rob | January 5, 2010 12:15 PM

OH COME ON! An AIR gun? Sounds as dangerous as a snowball so I say.. FAIR GAME! I bet that 13 yr old is a little jerky asshole like the rest of the 13 yr olds in this country!

By LJK | January 5, 2010 3:35 PM

What the hell is wrong with you people? Its a snowball! So none of you ever threw a snowball when you were a kid?? Come on. It doesn't say they broke any windows. Annoying and obnoxious yes, but thats what kids are..all over the world. And an air gun can still easily take out an eye! If they were throwing rocks I could maybe understand, but a snowball? Lighten up people. He should have just taken a hose to them.

By Marco | January 5, 2010 7:15 PM

Why confiscate his gun? The kids might do it again.

By pieter | January 5, 2010 7:57 PM

Let's put this in perspective: an air gun is nothing like a snowball... it's far more dangerous; he could have put the kid's eye out. This 77 year old should have telephoned the police. Yes, I understand kids can be complete jerks but really, shooting them with airguns... come on! Just because he's an old man doesn't give him the right to act irresponsibly.

By Buzzer | January 5, 2010 8:14 PM

Come on. Shoot the bastards. They need a hard lesson!

By Hanna | January 5, 2010 8:48 PM

At my neck of the woods, the kids were throwing fireworks in to shops that had their doors open. On New Year's Day, my daughter & I looked down from the balcony to see the fire and police dept putting out a fire caused by letterbox firework idiots. The shop is still closed. I live in Haarlem, nice area!!!

By stevie | January 5, 2010 10:02 PM

First, someone needs to find the kids throwing snowballs and give them a goodl old-fashioned spanking. Spare the rod and spoil the child! Second, they should be made to wash windows for about, oh, 400-500 hours. THEN maybe they'd get the message. Third, give the man his airgun back. You can't hurt anyone with an air gun, and it's not accurate. If a kid got hit in the finger, it was dumb luck. I've been hit by snowballs with rocks in them (in Amsterdam) and I own an air gun. Snowballs (made and thrown the right way) hurt a lot worse.

By Tim | January 5, 2010 10:22 PM