Rotterdammers riot as Dutch government imposes new COVID restrictions

Dutch police shot and wounded at least two people Friday night during anti-lockdown riots in Rotterdam, the BBC reported. The protests led to seven injuries and at least 20 arrests.

Police used water cannons and lethal force in response to what a police spokesperson told Reuters was a "life-threatening" situation. Rioters threw rocks and fireworks at police and torched several police vehicles. Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, a member of his country's Labour Party and former public relations official for the Dutch health ministry, called the protests an "orgy of violence."

These demonstrations come on the heels of similar clashes that took place Nov. 13 in The Hague after the Dutch government imposed new COVID-19 restrictions. These restrictions include a three-week partial lockdown, restaurant and store closures, a ban on crowds at sporting events, and the cancellation of New Year's Eve fireworks for the second consecutive year.

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Infection rates in the Netherlands have spiked to over 1,000 new cases a day, the highest since the pandemic began. This is despite a nationwide vaccination rate of over 70 percent.