Police fire shots after anti-Covid curb protesters go on rampage

In order to curb a violent protest against COVID-19 measures, Dutch police fired shots leading to injuries to some people, authorities said on Saturday.   

In the incident, three people were being treated in hospital in Rotterdam.  

The crowd, which included several hundred rioters, went on rampage during the protests on Friday evening. It set off fireworks, torched cars and threw rocks at police personnel.   

The police were also forced to respond with warning shots and water canons.  

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On Twitter, Rotterdam police said on Saturday that 51 people were arrested, half of whom were under 18.  

"Three rioters were wounded when they were hit by bullets, they remain in hospital," police added.  

The authorities are also investigating the shootings, including whether the wounded people were hit by police bullets, they added.  

Ahmed Aboutaleb, city's mayor, said the protest had turned into "an orgy of violence."  

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"Police were forced to draw their weapons and even fire direct shots," Aboutaleb told a news conference on Saturday.  

In a statement, Dutch Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus said the "extreme violence" against police and firefighters in Rotterdam was "repulsive."  

"The right to protest is very important in our society but what we saw last night was simply criminal behaviour," Grapperhaus said.  

(With inputs from agencies)