Geert Wilders, the leader of the largest party in the Netherlands, has responded following riots between Eritrean gangs in the Dutch city of The Hague, which saw six police officers injured and 13 people arrested.
The fighting began in the early hours of Sunday morning as rocks were hurled and police cars set alight in the chaos.
Special police units fired tear gas in response. It was reported that the violent clashes took place following a meeting of anti and pro-Eritrean government groups.
In response to the brutal fighting, Mr Wilders took to X to criticise previous administrations’ immigration policies: “The Netherlands is really sick of it.
“Why is half the world allowed in here to tear down our country, fight mutual feuds, throw stones at police officers and set their cars on fire? I want to become the prime minister who finally puts things in order.”
Mr Wilders is currently in negotiations with other parties to form the next Dutch government. The leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) won on a anti-immigration, anti-EU ticket, but is struggling to find junior partners to help him run the country.
The PVV won 37 seats and 23.49 percent of the vote in the general election last year. The Dutch electoral system uses a form of proportional representation, meaning coalitions are commonplace.
However, earlier this month, the centrist party the NSC, with whom Wilders’ PVV were negotiating, pulled out of the talks.
In a letter to NSC members, Pieter Omtzigt said: “Financial expectations for the coming years have changed. Under no conditions do we want to make promises we know are empty.”
Mr Wilders, in response, said he was “incredibly disappointed” by his prospective partner’s decision, adding: “The country wants this coalition… I don’t understand it at all.”
In another X post relating to the weekend’s riots, Mr Wilders wrote: “You just let them all in and then leave your country like that.”
Police said following the episode: “During the riots, stones, fireworks, and other items were thrown at police officers and members the fire brigade. Several rioters had weapons to hit people with”.
Two police cars were torched as well as a tour bus. Two police officers sustained injuries to their hands, while another damaged her teeth. A fourth officer was hit by a car, another was injured in the knee and a sixth suffered issues related to tear gas.
Police commander Marielle van Vulpen said: “Out of nowhere, our colleagues were confronted with very intense and serious violence”.
After the eruption, 13 arrests were made and police are appealing for more witnesses and video footage.
