Project X Haren riots: another 50 suspects on film and photo
Police investigating last Friday’s riots in the Groningen commuter town of Haren have set their sights on a further 50 troublemakers, local police chief Oscar Dros told a television show on Tuesday evening.
Anyone who was involved in the violence or vandalism should report to the police or they will be picked up at their homes, Dros told the Pauw & Witteman chat show.
Of the 36 men and boys arrested so far, most come from the north of the country and half have previously come into contact with the police, Dros told the programme, without giving further details.
Earlier it was reported all but one are either studying or have a job and that most have never been picked up for violent offences.
Adrenaline
One 18-year-old told the Parool newspaper on Tuesday he and his friends had become swept up in the trouble out of curiosity. ‘We wanted to follow it all from the sidelines,’ he said.
Later they dared each other to enter the Albert Heijn supermarket which was being looted. ‘It was unbelievably stupid but it was an adrenaline kick,’ he said. ‘Normally I would never have done anything like it. There are no excuses.’
The youth took three packets of cigarettes from the floor and went home. On Saturday he turned himself over to the police.
Police have been given some 300 tips and ‘terabytes’ of film and photos since the riots, which broke out after a girl’s birthday party went viral and several thousand people turned up in Haren to celebrate.
Former Amsterdam mayor and Labour leader Job Cohen is to lead the inquiry looking into how the policing operation went wrong.
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