Police took to the streets of Dutch towns and cities in force on Tuesday night to try to prevent violent rioting that shook the country for three nights after a nationwide curfew was introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Police in Rotterdam said they arrested 17 people for minor offences before the nightly curfew took effect at 9pm.
Riot police were stationed in the south and west of the city, but did not immediately report any major disturbances, local broadcaster Rijnmond reported.
In Amsterdam, riot police were sent to a commercial street where a large group of youths had gathered and set off fireworks, but there were no violent confrontations.
The rioting, which started with the burning of a coronavirus testing centre in a fishing village on Saturday night, is the worst to hit the Netherlands in years.
It was initially sparked by anger over a tough coronavirus lockdown that has been in force since mid-December.
But calls for rioting on social media, mainly spread among young people, increasingly fuelled the unrest.
Schools have been closed in the country since the Christmas holidays.
Police said on Tuesday afternoon that video images showed many rioters were young teenagers and that many of the people they arrested were picked up close to their homes.
“I join others in appealing to parents to keep their children at home. Certainly after 9pm, stay indoors,” said North Holland regional Police Chief Anja Schouten.
The violence has stretched the police and led at times to sending in military police.
On Monday night, rioters pelted police with rocks, fireworks and Molotov cocktails, and looted shops in at least two cities, Rotterdam and Den Bosch.
A total of 184 people were arrested in Monday night’s unrest.
Police fined more than 1,700 for breaching the 9pm to 4:30am curfew, which carries a fine of €95 ($115).
Officers around the country also detained dozens suspected of inciting rioting through social media.
Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus said earlier Tuesday that riots would quickly be brought before the courts and face possible prison terms if convicted.
“They won’t get away with it,” Mr Grapperhaus said in The Hague.
“If you rob people who are struggling, with the help of the government, to keep their head above water, it’s totally scandalous."
He said the curfew was necessary in the fight against the coronavirus.
Populist right-wing opposition politician Geert Wilders called for the army to be used to quell rioting, something the government has so far ruled out.
Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb posted a video message on Twitter, asking rioters: “Does it feel good to wake up with a bag full of stolen stuff next to you?”
Mr Aboutaleb appealed to parents of the young rioters, asking: “Did you miss your son yesterday? Did you ask yourself where he was?”
The municipality in Den Bosch designated large parts of the city as risk areas for Tuesday night, fearing a repeat of the violence.
Residents took to the streets Tuesday to help with the clean-up, and the city’s mayor said he would investigate authorities’ response to the rioting.
“This criminal violence must stop,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte tweeted. “The riots have nothing to do with protesting or struggling for freedom.
“We must win the battle against the virus together, because that’s the only way of getting back our freedom.”
The rate of new infections in Netherlands has been decreasing in recent weeks.
But the country’s public health institute warned on Tuesday that the new variant of the virus first detected in Britain is gaining ground and was probably responsible for more than a third of infections over the last week.
The country has registered more than 13,650 confirmed Covid-19 deaths.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
