Corona protests
Injured after police shots in riots in Rotterdam
Protests against corona measures have led to riots and injuries. Photo: — / ANP MEDIA-TV / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Plans for stricter corona rules are driving hundreds of protests to the streets in Rotterdam. This leads to riots. Several people were injured after shooting by police officers.
In serious riots in Rotterdam at a rally against stricter corona rules, there were injuries after gunshots by the police.
“There are injuries in connection with the shots fired,” said the police in the Dutch port city late yesterday evening. How many people were injured was initially not known. Previously, it was said that officials had fired several warning shots and more shots. In the case of a person shot down in pictures, it is still unclear how and by whom the person was injured, the police said.
During the unregistered demonstration of hundreds of people against the threat of further tightening of the corona measures, violent riots broke out in the center of Rotterdam. Fires were set on sidewalks and streets, police cars were set on fire and others were damaged, and objects were thrown at police officers and firefighters. Blazing flames could be seen in pictures from the NOS broadcaster, chairs were thrown and dumpsters pushed onto the street. A patrol car was ablaze. A trail of devastation remained. Politicians said they were shocked at the level of violence on Twitter.
According to their own statements, the police tried to restore order with a large contingent. The riot police and a water cannon were also used. A helicopter could be heard over the smoke-streaked streets. “A maximum use of the police is possible to restore order as quickly as possible,” said the police around midnight.
The mayor issued an emergency ordinance to forbid people to stay at the site of the riots as well as in the main train station and another station. The train traffic to and from Rotterdam had been stopped because of the riots, said the Dutch Railways.
The rally, which several organizations had called, was directed against plans by the government to introduce a 2G rule in view of the worsening corona situation. Access to events, cafés and restaurants was then only given to those who had been vaccinated and those who had recovered. After a curfew was imposed in the Netherlands in January, there had already been serious riots in several cities with millions in damages.