60 rioters detained in Netherlands anti-curfew protests

On Saturday, the Netherlands introduced a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The unpopular measure triggered violent mass protests in several Dutch cities, including the capital of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam:About 60 rioters have been detained in the western Dutch city of Rotterdam, with 10 policemen injured, during the protests against the Dutch government's recent decision to introduce a night-time curfew, the Rotterdam Police Chief, Fred Westerbeke, said on Tuesday.

"About 60 people have been detained. These are the young people who had the only aim - to commit robbery," Westerbeke said, as quoted by the WNL broadcaster.

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The police chief noted that the protesters robbed several shops and threw stones at the law-enforcement officers.

Westerbeke added that the police had established an investigation team to probe into the actions of the ringleaders.

The Netherlands entered a full lockdown on December 15, which will remain in place until February 9, ordering all non-grocery and non-essential shops to close, shutting down all cafes, museums, theatres, pools, gyms, barbershops and other public venues. On Monday, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte slammed the violent protests held across the Netherlands against a new night-time curfew aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus disease.

ANI

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