crime
Serious riots at Eritrean meetings in The Hague
The police intervene in a confrontation between two groups of Eritreans. photo
© Wil Looijestijn/ANP/dpa
At a meeting of Eritreans in the Netherlands, supporters and opponents of the government of the East African country clash. The violence escalates, officers are injured, cars burn out.
At a meeting of Eritreans in the Netherlands There were serious riots in The Hague on Saturday evening, with four police officers injured and major property damage. Violence escalated between supporters and opponents of the East African country’s dictatorial government at an event building, with officers and firefighters being attacked with stones and fireworks, police said on Sunday.
Two police cars and a coach burned out. Other cars were severely damaged, as was the event building where one of the groups had organized a meeting. Some participants became sick from the heat of the fires in the event hall.
The riot police used tear gas against violent criminals. The mayor declared a state of emergency at the scene of the riots, which gave the police greater powers.
“Emergency forces severely attacked”
“As if out of nowhere, our colleagues were confronted with very intense and severe violence,” said police commander Mariëlle van Vulpen. “It is very unfortunate that colleagues were injured and other emergency services were also seriously attacked, that is unacceptable.” The public prosecutor’s office and the Interior Ministry are investigating the riots, which were also condemned by Mayor Jan van Zanen.
Recently there has been repeated serious violence at meetings between Eritreans in Germany and other countries. Supporters and opponents of the government met in the country on the Horn of Africa.
Last summer, 26 police officers were injured in riots at an Eritrean festival in Gießen, Hesse. Just a few weeks later, 50 people were injured at a party held by Eritreans in Stockholm, Sweden. In Tel Aviv in September, dozens of people were injured when a protest by opponents of the Eritrean government against an event at the country’s embassy turned violent.
Eritrea, with around three million inhabitants, is located in northeast Africa on the Red Sea and is largely isolated internationally. Since independence from Ethiopia was won in a decades-long war 30 years ago, President Isayas Afewerki has ruled the country in a one-party dictatorship. Political parties are banned and freedom of expression and freedom of the press are severely restricted. There is neither a parliament nor independent courts or civil society organizations. There is also a strict military service and forced labor system, from which many people flee abroad.