The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has no pity for the boys and men who were convicted for their part in the curfew riots of a year ago in Eindhoven and Den Bosch. A spokesperson: “It was their own responsibility to eventually participate. They made the wrong choice: a choice with major consequences.” They often received prison sentences and had to pay damages.
“During the sessions you saw enough suspects who, in their own words, were carried away by the group. Yet it was their own responsibility,” says the spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service.
“Explain to your boss that you won’t come to work for a few weeks and have to go to jail. And you should pay for many thousands of euros in damage. We thought that the perpetrators should pay for this and not society.” A rough estimate shows that approximately one million euros in damages has been imposed.
What started on January 24, 2021 in Eindhoven as a demonstration against the government’s decision to introduce a curfew, degenerated into an overthrow of public order. It was like a civil war, mayor John Jorritsma would say later. A day later, rioters in Den Bosch in particular did it all over again.
About 80 people were punished by the judge for committing arson, vandalism, theft, violence against the police, sedition or a combination of these.
The heaviest punishment was for a man who went crazy in Eindhoven: fifteen months in prison and he has to pay 80,000 euros in compensation. The disturbances in Den Bosch resulted in community service, prison sentences of up to ten months and damages of up to 62,000 euros. One person was acquitted.
It soon became clear to the police that more than three hundred people had misbehaved in the two cities. Many of them were recognizable in footage of the riots. Not all of those people eventually had to answer to court.
A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service (OM) explains: “Whether these people were all guilty of criminal offenses had to become apparent from an investigation. The police did that really well. The largest part has been traced, especially the people who are guilty. made to violence of unprecedented proportions.”
Many dozens of suspects were arrested with the help of the public. “As far as we’re concerned, that shows that society as a whole was genuinely shocked and outraged,” said a police spokesman.
Sometimes even parents would bring their sons to the police station. The investigation into the curfew riots has now been nearly completed. Nevertheless, the police website still contains photos of unrecognized rioters. “But it’s never too late to report yourself or give us a tip,” said a police spokesman.
In the meantime, new court hearings have already been scheduled and it has been decided to appeal in cassation in two cases. The Supreme Court is now considering it. In short, it will be some time before the ‘curfew riots file’ can go into the filing cabinet in the Palace of Justice in Den Bosch.
This is how it went on January 24 in Eindhoven:
Omroep Brabant will pay even more attention to the curfew riots online and on TV in the coming days.