Four officers suffer hearing damage in protests

Four police officers required emergency hospital treatment for hearing damage after violent protests against planned asylum accommodation in Gelderland.

Driving the news: Mayor Jan Kottelenberg of Neder-Betuwe announced that unrest in Opheusden and Kesteren turned dangerous when demonstrators threw heavy unlawful pyrotechnics at authorities.

The details:

• Police detained fourteen men in Opheusden during demonstrations that severely damaged the municipal hall in September.
• Unrest flared again several days later in nearby Kesteren, driven by resistance against hosting 132 asylum seekers.
• Protesters targeted police and public buildings using powerful explosives, including cobra devices.

What officials said: Kottelenberg stated the unregistered gatherings were provoked by external fringe factions who distributed illegal fireworks and incited local youths to engage in extreme violence.

Source: 1