New Year celebrations marred by deaths
The country began getting back to normal on Tuesday after New Year celebrations in which two people were killed and at least 150 arrested. Despite a number of incidents in which emergency service workers were attacked by drunken youths, police said the New Year festivities passed off largely peacefully.
In the eastern town of Raalte near Zwolle, fire-fighters were called to a fire in a disco where 1,500 people were celebrating the New Year. Staff evacuated the building quickly and no-one was injured.
Elsewhere, riot police were brought in after fire-fighters were attacked by drunken youths. Incidents were reported in The Hague, Dordrecht, Monster, Loosduinen, Puttershoek, Voorschoten, Leiden and Scheveningen.
And in the western province of Zeeland, a 71-year-old man was arrested after shooting a teenager in the foot. The youth was part of a group setting off fireworks.
Meanwhile, the traditional North Sea swim at Scheveningen was cancelled for the first time in 39 years because of rough seas. Several thousand swimmers had been expected. But hundreds of people did take a quick dip at Zandvoort and at other coastal resorts.
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