Watch | Chaos In The Hague as Migrants Clash, Police Cars Torched In Massive Riot

A riot broke out on the streets of the Hague on Saturday, as clashes erupted between miscreants and police. Media reports said that a large mob of Eritrean migrants broke into the Opera House building and threw bricks and rocks at police officers.

Video footage captured dozens of rioters surrounding the venue as multiple police vans arrived at the scene, according to UK’s Daily Mail. The aftermath of the violent clashes revealed a scene of chaos, with several smashed windows and vehicles engulfed in flames, leaving the streets resembling a war zone.

Eritrean Migrants

The riot stemmed from a fight between two factions of Eritreans, according to The Hague Municipality spokesperson Robin Middel. He said that a group supportive of Eritrea’s government was holding a meeting at the Opera when they were ambushed by Eritreans opposing the regime.

Shards of glass littered the streets, and tear gas filled the air as police officers, clad in riot gear, attempted to contain the violence. The officers barricaded the entrance to the building and tackled a fire that had erupted inside, even removing what appeared to be a fuel canister from the premises.

‘Really sick of it’

Geert Wilders, the Dutch right-wing leader and frontrunner for the post of Prime Minister condemned the violence. “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,” he said in a post on X.

A Netherlands-based journalist, who documented the events, said the rioters attempting to breach the Opera’s entrance while the fire brigade struggled to extinguish the flames, the Daily Mail said. The severity of the riot resulted in extensive damage to the Opera Hall.

The clash between the Eritrean groups adds to a series of violent incidents at Eritrean events across Europe, the British newspaper said. The underlying tensions stem from discontent with the Eritrean government, led by President Isaias Afwerki, prompting tens of thousands to flee to Europe.