Covid 19 coronavirus: Dutch police fire warning shots in Rotterdam as riots break out over Government vaccine restrictions

In this image taken from video, demonstrators protest against government restrictions in Rotterdam. Photo / AP

Police opened fire on protesters and seven people were injured in rioting that erupted in downtown Rotterdam around a demonstration against Covid-19 restrictions. The Dutch city's mayor called it "an orgy of violence".

Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told reporters in the early hours of Saturday morning that "on a number of occasions the police felt it necessary to draw their weapons to defend themselves" as rioters ran rampage through the port city's central shopping district, setting fires and throwing rocks and fireworks at officers.

"They shot at protesters, people were injured," Aboutaleb said. He did not have details on the injuries. Police also fired warning shots.

Police fired warning shots, injuring an unknown number of people, as riots broke out in downtown Rotterdam at a demonstration against plans by the Government to restrict access for unvaccinated people to some venues.

Police said in a tweet that "there are injuries in connection with the shots" during the violent unrest. Riot police used a water cannon in an attempt to drive hundreds of rioters from a central street in the port city.

Video from social media shown on Dutch broadcaster NOS appeared to show a person being shot in Rotterdam, but there was no immediate word on what happened.

Police said in a tweet that it was "still unclear how and by whom" the person was apparently shot.

Police said downtown Rotterdam remained restive and there was still a heavy police presence on the streets.

Police said they arrested dozens of rioters and expected to detain more. They said about seven people were injured, including police officers. They did not give further details.

Photos in Dutch media showed at least one police car ablaze and another with a bicycle smashed through the windshield.

Police cars were torched during a riot tonight in Dutch city of #Rotterdam. Rioters took it to the streets to oppose recently announced restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The city is still unsafe riot police is everywhere.
pic.twitter.com/KyRe9NkBDQ

— Sangar | سنګر پیکار (@paykhar) November 19, 2021

Local political party Leefbaar Rotterdam condemned the violence in a tweet.

"The centre of our beautiful city has this evening transformed into a war zone," it said.

"Rotterdam is a city where you can disagree with things that happen but violence is never, never, the solution."

Police said in a tweet that rioters started fires and threw fireworks during the rioting and authorities closed the city's main railway station.

Local media say gangs of football hooligans were involved in the rioting.

🇳🇱 Veel jongeren bij de demonstratie in Rotterdam. Een fors brandje door vuurwerk. pic.twitter.com/abS9KcxjSp

— Kees71 (@Kees71234) November 19, 2021

The Government has said it wants to introduce a law that would allow businesses to restrict the country's coronavirus pass system to only people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 — that would exclude people who test negative.

The country has seen record numbers of infections in recent days and a new partial lockdown came into force a week ago.

In January, rioting broke out in Rotterdam and other Dutch cities after the Government announced a curfew in an attempt to rein in soaring coronavirus infections.

Earlier, the Government banned fireworks on December 31 for the second straight year. The ban is intended "to prevent, as much as possible, extra strain on health care, law enforcement and first responders", the Government said.