Police pelted with stones and fireworks | Inland

About two hundred activists gathered earlier on Friday evening near the Ministry of Justice and Security, in an attempt to disrupt the corona press conference there with noise. Shortly afterwards, things went wrong near The Hague Central Station, in line with Turfmarkt, and the police were pelted.

The police deployed a water cannon in an attempt to get the remaining activists away from the Turfmarkt. About a hundred protesters were still present on a bridge near the Turfmarkt. Dozens of them went to Bezuidenhoutseweg, but this group broke up into groups. Some moved into a park near the Malieveld. Police are now patrolling the park in vans.

At least five people were arrested during Friday’s demonstration. The suspects were arrested for, among other things, possession of fireworks, throwing fireworks or not complying with the order to leave, a police spokesperson said.

According to a police spokesperson, the police had received information in advance that a hard core of football supporters would come to The Hague. “We encountered them in the vicinity of the Turfmarkt and between the group of demonstrators,” said the spokesman. Whether they are also the ones who threw the stones and fireworks and started riots, the police do not know at this time.

Noise demonstrations were also held at previous corona press conferences. At the previous press conference, the police cleared the area around Turfmarkt after disturbances. The police were pelted with, among other things, heavy fireworks and stones. Thirteen people were arrested. At the corona press conference on September 14, problems also arose due to the demonstration. Due to the threatening atmosphere, the ministry was closed for some time, so that officials and journalists were temporarily unable to leave the building.

—