Every city should have a kick-ass fireworks show of their own rather than letting individuals set them off themselves. I'd love to see a giant fireworks show over the water in Amsterdam or something rather than punks shooting fireworks at cars, other people and animals. Not to mention the garbage that is STILL on the streets.

By Stupid | January 19, 2012 8:02 AM

Totally agree, better and safer for everyone to have 1 big firework show than running around, standing on street corners lighting one's teeny-weeny firework. London has it, Sydney has it, New York has it, why not Amsterdam, Eindhoven etc?

By kalajutu | January 19, 2012 8:55 AM

Here here. And then make it very illegal to set off fireworks in the Netherlands.

By A | January 19, 2012 11:13 AM

I agree with the above! Organized firework displays are awesome to watch and much safer for everyone! The council could also throw in some good classical music to end the year with some class!

By Melissa | January 19, 2012 11:14 AM

I love Scheveningen's summer firework competitions. Safe, fun and free. Many families with young children would rather go to an early evening firework display with entertainment at a closed arena/stadium. Wouldn't it be great to have a Randstadt display at midnight running the length of the beach, Hoek-van Holland to Ijmuiden. Just go to your nearest beach access and enjoy. Beat the pants of the flickering Eiffel Tower light show.

By jaycee | January 19, 2012 11:42 AM

I hate all this mess with fireworks in the Netherlands. Would rather enjoy one big professional show.

By Medeine | January 19, 2012 12:47 PM

They should collect all of the various fireworks set off on new years and form them into one enormous firework and set that off on the Hedwige polder. Kill two birds with one stone: flood the polder and provide quite the show for the populace.

I am joking, of course...or am I? ;-)

By H. | January 19, 2012 1:41 PM

So if Netherlands bans fireworks we wont just be able to buy them from another country in the EU or even from outside? Not sure how that actually helps anything. And why would I want to go to a fireworks display with your losers - no thanks!

By Simon Smit | January 19, 2012 2:11 PM

Unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg. They also need to address the fact that parents are happy to throw young children out on the streets with big boxes of fireworks to "play". Even smaller fireworks are going to have the potential to cause serious damage...not just to the kids letting them off but to bystanders or pets that get the things thrown at them. Education is in order and immediate restriction of possession of fireworks by under 18s.

By korrok | January 19, 2012 2:55 PM

Every year we have property damage from the excessive amount of fireworks blown in our neighborhood. We don't particiapte at all yet we are the only ones cleaning up the mess. Enough is enough. It should be controlled much better than it is. I'm sick of people saying it is a Dutch tradition and then use this as an excuse to blow up and destroy everything that they can.

By M | January 19, 2012 3:14 PM

Hi,

Take it from an American who grew up in a state where fireworks were banned: People will still blow them off.

Stop whining. It's one day a year. Everyone else has to sit on their hands in an organized state-sponsored fireworks display because you're uptight? Gawd, stop being so boring.

By Kevin | January 20, 2012 7:15 PM

Simon Smit: you will be able to go to another country and buy them; I sincerely hope they ban the crap of this annoying stuff, and i also hope that if you buy them after the ban, and bring them back here - that the police catch you and give you a fine that will make you think HARD before you do it again. That's what I'm voting for Simon.
And Simon - nobody on here is a loser, except 1 person - who do you think that is?

By Bill | January 20, 2012 10:12 PM

If it was just one day - it might be okay, but the entire last week of the year is hell for people and animals alike. Nobody likes the thought of living in a war-zone with constant explosions, some of which rock the house. Last year they blew-up the mailbox beneath my window late at night. I now tend to leave the country over christmas and NY and go and spend my money in altogether more pleasant and peaceful places = revenue loss. I'm sure others do the same. PS: I love fireworks - just not the crappy ones here.

By Don | February 7, 2012 11:39 AM