New Year’s Eve in North Holland: festive but also grim atmosphere and fireworks display

An accident involving fireworks occurred last night around 11:30 PM on the Henk van Turnhoutpad in Haarlem, in which a nineteen year old man has died. It is not yet clear what exactly happened.

Shortly after midnight, a thatched roof flew off on Burgemeester Ritmeesterweg in Den Helder on fire. The fire brigade managed to prevent the fire from spreading to a home.

Police pelted with fireworks

The New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam was grim. In Amsterdam West, the Mobile Unit intervened when police officers became involved pelted with fireworks. In the Slotermeer district, a police spokesperson speaks of ‘extreme nuisance’ caused by a larger group. “We are trying to regain peace on the streets. Fireworks have also been thrown at colleagues,” the spokesperson said last night.

Dozens of young people in Amsterdam East spent the night attacked the police. They threw things and fireworks at police cars. The police say that the riot police dispersed the group. Police officers also got out and police dogs were deployed. “We stood on line for a while because people started confrontation,” the police spokesperson said last night. “We have focused on this to restore public order.”

It is not yet possible to say whether the police have arrested people in Amsterdam.

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It was also unrest in other places in North Holland and the Mobile Unit was deployed, such as in the Poelenburg district in Zaandam. The police said that around 6.30 pm reports were received about young people bombarding passers-by and cars with fireworks. “In addition, the group of approximately 30 young people committed destruction and set fires.”

“Running officers were pelted with heavy fireworks by the group,” the police said. After which the Mobile Unit was deployed.

Later in the evening, after 11 p.m., it became restless again and passers-by and police officers were pelted with fireworks. A total of 13 people were arrested in Poelenburg last night.

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It also became a bit restless in Huizen around 1.30 am at the Kostmand. A group of about twenty young people have been checked by the police. It is not yet known whether anyone has been arrested.

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A number of cars burned out in Amsterdam last night. Cars also went up in flames in Beverwijk, in a parking lot at De Koningshof and Hobbensteeg. A report of a car fire was also received in Heemskerk around that time.