ANP Police at the entrance of the Opera hall center, where the confrontation arose
NOS News•yesterday, 7:21 PM•Adjusted yesterday, 11:14 PM
Riots broke out in The Hague this evening at a meeting center where a group of Eritreans were holding a meeting. A rival group of Eritreans tried to enter the center. The mobile unit was present en masse at the building, where people threw stones and set police cars on fire.
Several police officers were injured during the riots, board member Ramon Meijerink of the police union ACP writes on X. “Completely unacceptable,” he says.
The rioters have now left the conference center. However, there is still unrest in the area and that will probably continue for a while, says a spokesperson for the municipality of The Hague. The police used tear gas to restore order on Fruitweg. Mayor Van Zanen gave permission for this. He also announced an emergency order for the area.
Rioters walked around with sticks, and in addition to police cars, passenger cars and a tour bus were on fire. The entire street was littered with bricks.
Police cars set on fire during confrontation between Eritreans in The Hague
The meeting in the Opera conference center was organized by pro-government Eritreans, says the spokesperson for the municipality of The Hague. Opponents of the regime are said to have attended the meeting, after which the disturbances broke out.
According to the owner of the function center, a New Year’s party had been booked that would last until the end of the evening. Nothing happened until the end of the afternoon, he says. There was initially a small group outside, “which kept getting bigger.” Those present at the meeting had to stay indoors to be safe and are still there, he says. Outside, Eritreans sought confrontation with the police.
Increased alertness
According to the municipality, there is always increased alertness at meetings of Eritreans. That was also the case tonight at the conference center, says the owner. “There were risk signals about the party. Police and riot police were already present from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.” Visitors to the meeting were also said to have been taken to the conference center in buses under police escort. There they remained during the afternoon and much of the evening.
Since approximately 10:15 p.m., visitors have been escorted out of the hall center under the supervision of the police, and then taken home by bus. The hall center is severely damaged on the outside.
New Year’s party
Myra Koomen, a former politician who now acts as spokesperson for the Eritrean community in the Netherlands, tells NOS that about 500 to 600 Eritrean people were celebrating in the hall center. “These are people with Eritrean roots but Dutch nationality, who until three years ago were used to celebrating the New Year’s party together, with their own music and drinks. That party was not disrupted tonight either, due to the good action of the police. ” According to Koomen, the meeting had no political signature, and guests did not go outside to confront opponents.
The origin of the attackers has not been independently verified. As far as we know, no one has been arrested.
ANPSdamage to the Opera hall centre
It is not the first time that riots have broken out at a meeting of the Eritrean community. For example, last May there was a massive brawl between supporters and opponents of the Eritrean government at a party center in Rijswijk. Then the riot police also took action.
Pro- and anti-government Eritreans also sought confrontation elsewhere in Europe, including in Sweden and Germany.