Inferno tears through centuries-old Amsterdam church. Video screenshot

On New Year's Eve, fireworks pelted police in various cities across the Netherlands, resulting in extreme violence and chaos. Officers reported an unprecedented level of violence that overshadowed the celebrations. A fire in Amsterdam engulfed a 19th-century church, prompting an ongoing investigation.

The historic Vondelkerk, a famed tourist attraction since its construction in 1872, suffered substantial damage. The collapse of its 50-metre-high tower marked a dramatic start to the year for the city. Widespread attacks on police and firefighters added to the chaos, with petrol bombs seen in Breda and eye injuries in Rotterdam.

Fireworks incidents claimed lives elsewhere too, with a 17-year-old and a 38-year-old lost in the Netherlands and two 18-year-olds in Germany. The Dutch Police Union's head, Nine Kooiman, underscored the peril by sharing his personal encounters with fireworks.

The government aims to tackle such violence by introducing a ban on unofficial fireworks from 2026. Nevertheless, the Dutch Pyrotechnics Association reported a record €129m (4.7 billion Thai baht) spent on fireworks this year. As the nation grapples with these events, future measures to ensure safety during celebrations become a pressing concern, reported the BBC.

Key Takeaways

• Dutch police faced unprecedented New Year’s violence, with widespread attacks.

• The historic Vondelkerk in Amsterdam suffered major fire damage.

• A record €129m (4.7 billion Thai baht) was spent on fireworks amid fatalities.

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2026-01-02

 

 

The Vondelkerk, in which I have spent many peaceful hours, is (was) a heritage building and national landmark. For the first time in my life, I'm going to sound racist and blame extremist Muslims. Who else would torch churches.

The fruits of Dutch colonialism...

There was, of course, British colonialism. So far, we have not seen such despicable acts of violence there. The perpetrators should be locked away and deported. But we should express tolerance for the wider community who, on the whole, are good and industrious neighbours.

Has anyone else notice that the Edit function doesn't work anyone, on any AN posts???

Hope they fix it after 'modernising' the site for no reason whatsoever.

I'm going to sound racist and blame extremist Muslims. Who else would torch churches says one comment.

Well, idiots with firework which is supposed to be an untouchable "tradition". Losers looking for trouble. This has nothing to do with terrorism but with stupidity and unleashed aggression.

Import third world people get third world problems.

Enjoy the diversity Holland. It is now your greatest strength.

My money is on muslims too.

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Import third world people get third world problems.

Enjoy the diversity Holland. It is now your greatest strength.

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Import third world people get third world problems.

Enjoy the diversity Holland. It is now your greatest strength.

Has it happened before in Holland? Then it is the elephant in the room and unless people start admitting the obvious, Europe is in for heaps of trouble.

Nothing to do with immigrants imo.

The Dutch government has basically said 2025 was the last year of private fireworks.

In the last few years a lot of illegal fireworks has been used and many people have lost and eye or fingers

and even some have died.

This is not normal fireworks but almost military grade explosives.

A lot of damage and people are getting fed up.

Ban fireworks for sale to the general public. Allow them for organised displays only.

Well last time fireworks in Holland. But it has been always a mess.

In years, the mess got bigger and bigger.

Now a church went down and of course they want to rebuilt it again?!

Amazing as many churches now are malls, offices or even homes.

Ok this one was still a church.

Worse is Switzerland where a party hall burnt down and 40 people died and 115 injured !

Saw some shorts of phones and they were running inside with some flare guns !!, setting the ceiling on fire.

Ceiling was covered with flammable sound insulation and it really burned well.

"Some stupid with a flare gun, burnt the place to the ground" , as txt from "smoke on the water"

BBC News

'We just want to find him': Families of missing and injur...

Some 40 people were killed in the fire; 113 injured people have been formally identified, including 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French and 11 Italians.

Holland had that situation 25 years ago in same way. Also very tragic accident.

Seems we didnt learn about that and now happened in Switzerland.

Fireworks lit inside an establishment dont work.

14 hours ago, boloaf said:

Has it happened before in Holland? Then it is the elephant in the room and unless people start admitting the obvious, Europe is in for heaps of trouble.

Europe is already in heaps of trouble, so is the UK!!

7 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Europe is already in heaps of trouble, so is the UK!!

The UK IS part of Europe - it's just not in the EU and hooray for that !!

13 minutes ago, TorquayFan said:

The UK IS part of Europe - it's just not in the EU and hooray for that !!

Correct, they are still in trouble!!

Yep, banning the fireworks should fix everything.

14 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Ban fireworks for sale to the general public. Allow them for organised displays only.

If the ungrateful foreigners kill with a fork, should we ban all cutlery.

22 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

If the ungrateful foreigners kill with a fork, should we ban all cutlery.

Indeed, fork murders and assaults are a really big issue, happening all the time?

10 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

Indeed, fork murders and assaults are a really big issue, happening all the time?

Guess reading isn't a strong point for you.

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

Correct, they are still in trouble!!

Mikey - agreed !

56 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

If the ungrateful foreigners kill with a fork, should we ban all cutlery.

Your response is off target . . .

It's a ban on private firework use which is advocated, and I agree wholeheartedly with that !

Authorised public displays to remain, with suitable safety protocols.

37 minutes ago, TorquayFan said:

Your response is off target . . .

It's a ban on private firework use which is advocated, and I agree wholeheartedly with that !

Authorised public displays to remain, with suitable safety protocols.

It's right on target. You blame the fireworks and not the people who used them for violence.

Why would people attack police and firemen?

26 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

It's right on target. You blame the fireworks and not the people who used them for violence.

Not so Even. A Ban on sales of fireworks would of course make it much harder for people to obtain them for such scurrilous use. FGS think it through !

23 hours ago, Dirk Z said:

I'm going to sound racist and blame extremist Muslims. Who else would torch churches says one comment.

Well, idiots with firework which is supposed to be an untouchable "tradition". Losers looking for trouble. This has nothing to do with terrorism but with stupidity and unleashed aggression.

Indeed, reports state: "The fire broke out around 12:45 am, shortly after New Year’s fireworks concluded. Flames were first spotted on the roof before climbing the tall spire. The church’s ageing wooden structure proved highly vulnerable, allowing the blaze to spread uncontrollably." Rather sounds like it was started by a firework.

https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/us-news/fire-ravages-historic-vondelkerk-on-new-years-eve-destroying-a-church-steeped-in-amsterdams-cultural-life/4094653/

4 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

Correct, they are still in trouble!!

2 hours ago, TorquayFan said:

Mikey - agreed !

And Brexit has made things so much better for the UK🤦

Meanwhile, in France, over 1000 cars were burned up and 500 arrested. The usual suspects.

In total, 505 people were taken into custody nationwide, with 403 of those detentions resulting in arrests and remand orders, the ministry said. Officials characterised the night as “calmer” than New Year’s Eve in 2025, even though last year saw 420 detentions and 310 arrests.

The number of vehicles torched increased significantly, reaching 1,173 compared with 984 during New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2025, according to the same source.

Nevertheless, local authorities reported a “less turbulent night in suburban areas than last year” and fewer, less serious attacks on law enforcement officers. Police officers were targeted with fireworks in several cities, including Nice, Lyon, Strasbourg and Rennes, a source told Agence France-Presse.

How's that diversity thing working out?

Google 1000 cars France. Can't post a link on the new and improved site here. Blurb above from greekcitytimes.com.

On 1/3/2026 at 7:33 PM, Andrew65 said:

Ban fireworks for sale to the general public. Allow them for organised displays only.

Yeah let's ban Christmas markets and pop concerts and flying and our national flags and our whole way of life to accommodate the cultural enrichment.

Because the benefits of all this immigration is simply too huge to miss out on.