Unrest broke out in the Dutch town of Breda, near the Belgian border, last night as police officers were targeted with Molotov cocktails and pavement slabs.
One police vehicle was damaged, and five individuals were arrested. Multiple cars were set on fire, and fights erupted in the city.
In Rosendael, also near the Belgian border, seven people were detained for launching fireworks at police officers.
In The Hague, law enforcement faced attacks involving firecrackers, though no injuries were reported.
Across the Netherlands emergency services were overwhelmed with calls. Authorities urged the public to only dial emergency numbers in life-threatening situations.
Two deaths in the Netherlands overnight
Two people died in fireworks-related accidents in the Netherlands during the early hours of 2026, Dutch police confirmed overnight.
One victim died in Nijmegen, in the east of the country. The other was a 38-year-old man from Aalsmeer, south of Amsterdam, who lost his life while handling fireworks at home.
Police have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding both incidents.
From next year, a new Dutch law will prohibit private use of fireworks during New Year’s celebrations. Authorities report an increasing trend of illegal fireworks being imported, some of which are heavily loaded with gunpowder, posing serious risks. Police have compared these products to grenades or bombs.
This year, authorities have seized 112 tonnes of fireworks across the Netherlands, an increase from 107 tonnes in 2024 and 79 tonnes in previous years. While the sale and use of large fireworks have been banned for years, individuals often purchase them abroad in neighbouring Belgium or Germany and bring them into the country illegally.
