Arjen Littooij comes by car from a fire in the Stephanusschool, a Catholic primary school in the Rotterdam district of Hillegersberg-Schiebroek. The fire has been set, says Littooij, general director of the Rotterdam-Rijnmond safety region: “It is a disaster for the district. Where are you going with all the kids next?”
The reporter will drive through Rotterdam with Littooij this New Year’s Eve. From the back seat, the city seems quiet. A loud bang here and there, but otherwise it could have been a weeknight. Littooij prefers to call it “busy, but manageable”. A lot is happening; containers, scooters and cars are set on fire. However, the events are generally less dangerous than in the years without a fireworks ban.
Armored Fire Truck
Rotterdam was prepared for the worst, as has been frequently in the news in recent weeks. In the summer, the security region has already started preparing for what is the busiest night of the year for emergency workers. For example, a fire truck is armored. All with the idea “hope for the best, prepare for the worst”, as Littooij puts it.
At the Stefanusschool, the fire brigade worked with a non-armored car. During the extinguishing, the firefighters were pelted with fireworks by a group of young people. Until the Mobile Unit intervened. “What surprises me is that such an incident with old and new is apparently considered normal, while it is not tolerated the rest of the year,” says Littooij: “All standards then disappear like snow in the sun.”
Littooij notices that the fireworks are getting heavier. “Fireworks sound harmless, but what’s being used now are real weapons. Actually grenades.” They were also banned before the temporary fireworks ban. The fireworks ban has reduced the number of smaller fireworks incidents and the police can now concentrate more on countering the “heavier guns”.
Fireworks ban
According to Littooij, the next step is a definitive ban on the lighting of fireworks by individual citizens. Because legal fireworks are also becoming increasingly dangerous in his view. Professional fireworks shows could be given at the turn of the year. In order to avoid unnecessary unrest, the social discussion about this must be conducted in good time: “Not until mid-December.”
Tensions around aid workers and law enforcement officers are already regularly running high. “Only once a year do we talk about violence against aid workers, that is at the turn of the year.” Littooij signals. While the “hardening in society” plays all year round.
This could be seen in the curfew riots in early 2021 and in the anti-lockdown riots at the end of November. The fire brigade in Rotterdam had to flee and leave a fire truck behind. Officers were forced to shoot at rioters. “During these riots, a red line was crossed,” says Littooij.
Social media, such as Twitter, are fueling the fire. Reports of incidents cause more people to go for riots. And increase the fear on the home front of care providers.
children’s champagne
An hour after the New Year, two police vans are parked next to the Erasmus Bridge. The policemen pause, cheerfully raise a glass of children’s champagne and wish each other a happy new year. For the time being it seems calm, says a policewoman. She does not want to be in the newspaper by name. “In this day and age, we are also privately harassed when we are in the news. Both us and the ME.”
Also read: New ban on fireworks during New Year’s Eve
It is not only the fireworks ban that has caused the clearing of the streets of Rotterdam. There is nothing to do, the catering industry is closed, there is less drinking on the street. Littooij: “The fact that there are fewer incidents is also due to the sum of the corona measures and the fireworks ban. Of course we have to be able to effervescent and party again, then people will also go overboard. That is part of normal life. But alcohol and fireworks are not a good combination.”
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