Dutch police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators as they set off fireworks in one of the main shopping streets, in protest of the new restrictions introduced to battle the deadly coronavirus. Clashes led to the injury of 7 people.
“A demonstration that started tonight at 8 pm on the Coolsingel has resulted in riots. Fires have been set in several places.
Fireworks were set off and police fired several warning shots,” Rotterdam police said in a statement.
The police further said that the riot police later launched charges at the demonstrators as they said, “The water launcher has been deployed.”
The Netherlands has introduced a partial lockdown to curb the spread of Covid.
“This is a very serious situation which requires action with the highest priority,” said the emergency order by the Rotterdam municipality.
“It is therefore necessary to issue this emergency order so as to maintain public order and to protect the safety of persons.” The Dutch government has said it will review the situation on December 3.
Not just Rotterdam, but people in Austria have also been angered after the landlocked country made vaccines mandatory and introduced a full lockdown, starting from Monday.
Restrictions have also been imposed for the unvaccinated people in Germany. People have been banned from restaurants. Similar restrictions have been imposed in Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Europe continues to record a wave of COVID-19 cases with countries struggling to battle the deadly coronavirus.