Fireworks, vandals caused €10m in damage to private property at New Year

Some €10m worth of damage was caused to private property during the New Year celebrations, due to both vandalism and fireworks, the Dutch insurance association VVV said on Tuesday.

Some €8m is down to damage to private homes and €2m to damage to cars, the VVV said. Medical costs and the costs to companies and schools are not included in the total.

The association says the amount of damage was similar to that done in a year without coronavirus measures or a firework ban. This, says director Richard Weurding, is down to the impact of more powerful illegal fireworks and the good weather, which meant more people were outside.

Last year, damage to private property was put at €6m during the New Year festivities, the year before that, €15m.

The government banned all but fireworks for children this New Year but, as in 2020, the ban was widely ignored.