New Year's Eve celebrations in the Netherlands descended into widespread violence and tragedy, leaving two people dead, a historic church gutted by fire, and police facing what unions described as 'unprecedented' attacks.
Fatalities and Violence Against Emergency Services
The turn of the year was marked by two separate fatal incidents involving fireworks. A 17-year-old boy from Nijmegen and a 38-year-old man from Aalsmeer both lost their lives. Authorities confirmed that three other individuals sustained serious injuries. One arrest has been made in connection with the teenager's death, though police have released no further details.
The head of the Dutch Police Union, Nine Kooiman, reported an extreme level of aggression directed at police and emergency service workers throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Ms Kooiman revealed that even she was targeted, being struck three times by fireworks and explosives while on duty in Amsterdam.
Disturbing footage from the night shows street fights, fireworks being launched at buildings, and violent clashes with law enforcement. In the southern city of Breda, there were reports of petrol bombs being thrown at officers.
Historic Church Destroyed and Nationwide Emergency Alert
In a devastating blow to cultural heritage, a massive fire tore through the Vondelkerk, a popular tourist church dating back to 1872. The blaze caused the 50-metre-high tower to collapse and inflicted severe damage to the roof. Amsterdam authorities stated that, while extensively damaged, the main structure of the building is expected to remain intact.
The chaos was so severe that shortly after midnight, Dutch authorities took the rare step of issuing a country-wide emergency alert to mobile phones. The message urged the public not to call overwhelmed emergency services unless a life was in immediate danger.
Record Fireworks Sales and Ineffective Bans
The night of violence followed record-breaking consumer fireworks sales. The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association reported that a staggering €129 million (approximately £25.4 million) was spent on fireworks this year. This surge in purchases is widely attributed to public anticipation of a ban on non-official fireworks.
Despite some areas being designated as firework-free zones, the measure proved largely ineffective in curbing the dangerous celebrations. The fallout was felt in hospitals, with an eye hospital in Rotterdam treating 14 patients for eye injuries, including 10 minors. Two of those required surgery.
The disorder spilled over into neighbouring Belgium, where police were also targeted with fireworks despite a national ban, leading to numerous arrests. In a separate incident in Germany, two 18-year-olds died in Bielefeld when the homemade fireworks they were handling exploded.
