Serious riots
Eritrean meeting in The Hague gets out of control
February 17, 2024, 9:59 p.m
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Stones are flying, rioters are setting police cars, a bus and other cars on fire: two groups of Eritreans clash violently in The Hague. The police use tear gas against the perpetrators of violence. The mayor declares a state of emergency at the scene of the riots.
Serious riots broke out at a meeting of Eritreans in The Hague, Netherlands, in the evening. There were violent clashes between two groups of Eritreans in which stones were thrown, the police said.
Recently there has been repeated serious violence at meetings between Eritreans in Germany and other countries.
(Photo: picture alliance/dpa/ANP)
Police cars, a bus and other cars were set on fire by the rioters and the event building was badly damaged, as could be seen on television images. The riot police used tear gas against the perpetrators of violence. The mayor declared a state of emergency at the scene of the riots, which gives the police greater powers. According to the police, it was initially not clear to what extent there were any injuries or arrests.
It was not initially known what exactly triggered the altercation. Recently there has been repeated serious violence at meetings between Eritreans in Germany and other countries. Supporters and opponents of the dictatorial government in the country on the Horn of Africa met. Last summer, 26 police officers were injured in riots at an Eritrean festival in Giessen, Hesse. Just a few weeks later, 50 people were injured at a party held by Eritreans in Stockholm, Sweden. In Tel Aviv in September, dozens of people were injured when a protest by opponents of the Eritrean government against an event at the country’s embassy turned violent.
Eritrea, with around three million inhabitants, is located in northeast Africa on the Red Sea and is largely isolated internationally. Since independence from Ethiopia was won in a decades-long war 30 years ago, President Isayas Afewerki has ruled the country in a one-party dictatorship. Parties are banned and freedom of expression and freedom of the press are severely restricted. There is neither a parliament nor independent courts or civil society organizations. There is also a strict military service and forced labor system, from which many people flee abroad.