Violent protests took place in the Netherlands after the government announced a nationwide lockdown from Sunday to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The country has reported 80 cases of the new, highly transmissible variant so far.
On Saturday evening, caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Mark Rutte ordered the closure of all non-essential stores, bars, and restaurants from Sunday until January 14. Schools and universities will also remain closed until January 9. Furthermore, residents will only be allowed four visitors for Christmas and New Year celebrations and only two on other days.
Rutte said the restrictions are unavoidable as the fifth wave caused by the Omicron variant continues to ravage the country. In the latest surge, the steepest rise in infections has been registered among young children.
Indoor gatherings in the Netherlands will now be limited to a maximum of two guests per household until at least mid-January. That number is extended slightly around Christmas and New Year's Eve to four guests. https://t.co/4YbhoCEj5Z
— CNN International (@cnni) December 19, 2021
Lockdown measures, including shutting down bars, restaurants, cinemas, and other public meeting places at 5 pm, were first introduced on November 28. These restrictions will now continue through the holiday period. In addition, amateur sporting events will be restricted to between 5 pm to 5 am, and professional sporting events will be allowed but with no spectators. The government also plans to ban unvaccinated people from entering some public venues.
Subsequently, riots and unrest continued for the second night, with people protesting against the government’s plan to exclude unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants, and other public places. Capital city Amsterdam saw thousands of protesters marching around the city’s central Dam square. Several injuries and multiple arrests were reported in many towns and provinces. Angry protesters also disrupted two football matches played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 measures.
As Netherlands going into another lockdown, protestors attack the police. pic.twitter.com/GHmJFWG93c
— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) December 19, 2021
On Saturday night, officers dressed in riot gear charged groups of demonstrators in the Hague following incidents of stone-pelting and fireworks. According to a police statement, five officers were injured in the city, with one serious injury. Nineteen protesters in the Hague were charged and arrested by the police. Similarly, eight people were arrested in the town of Urk, where a COVID-19 testing centre was burned down earlier this year, and 13 others were arrested in two towns in the southern province of Limburg.
In Rotterdam, riots followed after the police opened fire on protesters. At least three people were hurt, and 51 others were arrested. It was one of the worst incidents of violence since restrictions were imposed last year. In January, protesters attacked police and torched streets after the government introduced a curfew.
Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus condemned the latest round of violence, saying, “The riots and extreme violence against police officers, riot police and firefighters last night in Rotterdam are disgusting to see.” “Protesting is a great right in our society, but what we saw last night is simply criminal behaviour. It has nothing to do with demonstrating,” he added.
As of 16 December 2021, the #COVID19 variant Omicron has been identified in 89 countries across all six WHO regions https://t.co/tOu6iIvFZP pic.twitter.com/YmKVTOqELX
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 19, 2021
Apart from the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Russia, Norway, Poland, and other European countries are also considering numerous measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.