There were 8,400 recorded incidents during this year’s New Year celebrations including 108 attacks on emergency service workers, justice minister Ivo Opstelten said in a statement.

The number of incidents was up 23% but arrests were up 12% at around 800, including the 100 youngsters arrested in the village of Veen on Monday, Opstelten said.

10,000 police officers were on duty during the celebrations, compared with 5,000 on a normal weekend, Opstelten said.

Court

Many of those arrested on Tuesday night will face super-fast court hearings over the next few days. If found guilty, their sentence will be increased by 75% because the incident took place at New Year. If they attacked the emergency services, the sentence will be raised by a further 200%.

Opstelten reiterated that it is totally unacceptable for the public to attack police, ambulance workers and firemen. While the increase in attacks (up from 81 to 108) is due to the zero tolerance policy, the minister said, the number of serious incidents was down.

Wiep van de Pal, deputy chairman of the ACP police union, told the Telegraaf police officers are being pelted with very powerful fireworks, which are better described as explosives.