An officer who launched Denisa with the water cannon against a wall during the curfew riots is being prosecuted by the law. That happened on January 24, 2021 in the center of Eindhoven. According to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), the action was not proportional, according to the verdict after an investigation by the National Criminal Investigation Department.
Things got completely out of hand in the city center of Eindhoven that Sunday. A large group of rioters confronted the police. They left a trail of destruction, including on 18 Septemberplein and Eindhoven Central station.
The Public Prosecution Service believes that the officer who controlled the water cannon did not act in accordance with the applicable instruction. “The purpose of the officer’s action was to detain the man with a chain lock. Taking all the circumstances into consideration, the conclusion is that this was too heavy a means of violence for this situation,” the Public Prosecution Service said.
“The water thrower is not intended to be aimed at individuals in this way. A less drastic remedy could have been chosen. The use of this resource is therefore judged to be disproportionate.”
fracture in skull
Czech Denisa Štastná was standing on September 18 Square when the riot police and water cannons wanted to clear the square. She was hit by a strong jet of water and then hit her head against a concrete wall.
She was left with a fracture to her skull and had fifteen stitches and a thick lip. Denisa was in the center with her boyfriend Michael Piksel, not to demonstrate, Michael said after the incident.
When asked what exactly they were protesting against, Denisa replied at the time: “Against nothing. We were just standing there filming and already walking away. They had no right to use the water cannon on us.” That’s why she reported attempted murder against the officer who operated the water cannon.
chain lock
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the police had already called for them to leave several times, and an emergency ordinance was also in effect at that time. “Nevertheless, the woman was present at 18 Septemberplein for no apparent reason. She climbed onto the roof of a bicycle shed and filmed the police action. When the water thrower entered the square, the victim climbed out of the bicycle shed,” said the judiciary.
“Shortly afterwards, the victim and her boyfriend were hit by a jet of water through the ground. The friend then grabbed a chain lock from the ground and threw the object several meters further in the direction of the police vehicle. The water thrower then shot at the woman from a short distance, who then fell backwards against the bicycle shed.”
The images of the water cannon went all over the world.