China News Service, January 26, reported that in response to the new crown epidemic, the Netherlands imposed a national curfew on the 23rd, the first since World War II.
However, demonstrations against curfew and other epidemic prevention measures broke out in many places, some of the demonstrations turned into violent activities, and even the new crown detection station was set on fire.
The prime minister of the Dutch caretaker cabinet condemned the violence and said it would deal with it seriously.
The law enforcement agencies have arrested hundreds of people.
Data map: On January 23, local time, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on the street after the curfew.
The first national curfew was implemented after World War II!
Anti-curfew
demonstrations are now violent, COVID-19 testing station burned
In response to the new crown epidemic, the Dutch Parliament approved a national curfew on the 21st.
From the 23rd, from 9 am to 4:30 am the next day, no special circumstances are allowed to go out. Violators will be fined 95 euros, except for those who walk their dogs, deliver food or express delivery.
According to reports, this is the first national curfew in the Netherlands since the end of World War II.
To implement the curfew, the Dutch government has sent riot police to at least 10 cities and towns, and some cities have sent military police to support them.
However, strict epidemic prevention measures still arouse public dissatisfaction.
On the 23rd, a demonstration took place in the village of Yurk in the northeast. Several young people violated the curfew and set fire to a new coronavirus testing center.
The Minister of Health strongly condemned the arson and said the behavior was unacceptable.
In the capital Amsterdam, a large number of demonstrators gathered in the city center from the afternoon of the 24th local time. Some demonstrators threw stones and fireworks at the police, set fire to vehicles, and even threw knives at police officers.
The police have arrested at least 200 people.
During the two-day demonstrations over the weekend, the government charged more than 3,600 people for violating the curfew, each with a fine of 95 euros.
Data map: On January 23, local time, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a police car patrolled the streets after the curfew was imposed.
Demonstrations one after another
Prime Minister condemns violence
On the evening of the 25th local time, the second wave of anti-curfew demonstrations took place in the Netherlands.
In Amsterdam and the port city of Rotterdam, some demonstrators violently smashed shop windows and ransacked store goods.
According to Agence France-Presse, citing police and other media sources, demonstrations were also held in Amersfoort in the east, Geleen in the south, The Hague, and Den Bosch.
At about 22:00 on the 25th local time, the police arrested more than 70 people.
Geleen police said earlier that they are dealing with young people throwing fireworks; the mayor of Rotterdam issued an emergency decree that gave the police greater power to arrest.
On the 25th, Prime Minister Rutte of the Dutch Caretaker Cabinet condemned the violent behavior of the demonstrators, saying that it was "completely unacceptable." The Dutch Police Union also stated that the level of violence in the past few days of demonstrations is unprecedented in 40 years, and warned that there may be more similar anti-epidemic demonstrations in the future.