The Netherlands is expected to introduce a nationwide ban on most consumer fireworks before the end of 2026, making it only the second European country after Ireland to do so. Support for the ban has grown amid concerns over public safety, pressure on emergency services and repeated attacks on firefighters during New Year festivities. As we reported, Western Europe witnessed unprecedented levels of violence on the eve of New Year, with most rioters being of immigrant background.
In the Netherlands, fire services reported more than 4,000 incidents on New Year’s Eve, including the destruction of a historic church near Amsterdam. Police were repeatedly targeted with illegal fireworks.
