DutchNews.nl - There is no party, Haren police tell Facebook users (update)

Police and local officials in the Groningen town of Haren are planning emergency measures to ensure thousands of people do not turn up to a 16-year-old girl's birthday party, the Telegraaf reports on Thursday.

The girl announced her party plans on Facebook, but failed to add the event is a private gathering. Word spread from friend to friend, and by Tuesday, the event had gone viral, with spoof videos, dedicated websites, t-shirts and an 'after-party', organised by a guerrilla marketing group in Groningen.

A number of YouTube films were put together, promoting the event under the moniker Project X Haren, after an American film based on a suburban party that got out of hand.

The council is said to be monitoring social media developments to try and get a grip on the situation, which threatens to engulf the smart commuter town of 18,000 people.

'But it remains very hard to assess what we can expect on Friday,' a spokesman told the Telegraaf. 'Our primary concern is ensuring public safety.'

A police spokesman told news agency AFP: 'Thousands of people have indicated they might be attending... We are taking extra measures, but what they are I am not at liberty to tell you.'

Nos television said on Thursday the girl at the centre of the celebrations will not be home on Friday.

Readers' Comments

PR stunt or at least capitalized to be a PR stunt. Poor marks for being unoriginal.

By Bob | 20 September 2012 8:23 AM

Tubeparade.com
the non-stop hitmusic videoclip machine

By TubeParade | 20 September 2012 3:52 PM

I seriously do not believe there are still people making this stupid mistake.

By joanna | 21 September 2012 9:50 AM

hundreds of people at the party, massive fights with police, fire, looted stores, riot police, because people are angry, it's like a war zone, look at www.rtvnoord.nl project X Haren

By A.J. | 22 September 2012 12:45 AM

Check the news people, thousands of people made a serious mess in an sleepy suburban region of the country, MP had to take charges, 20 people were arrested so far and two had to be taken to hospital with serious ingury.

By Caspar | 22 September 2012 3:45 AM

Never before seen such incompetent officials. They knew upfront that many people would come to an event and provoked even more people coming by letting it get in all national media, TV news, radio social media. Officials, mayor and local tourist information were happy with all attention but now will blame the youngsters.

By JJ | 22 September 2012 8:07 AM