Several youths who have been causing trouble outside a shopping centre in Zaandam, north of Amsterdam, were arrested on Monday night, local broadcaster RTVNH reported on Tuesday.

The broadcaster said it had been told eight people had been arrested in a campaign involving several dozen police officers. However, if the eight people were local and had been detained overnight was unclear, the broadcaster said.

The town council said earlier that police would take a tougher line on the troublemakers – a group of young men of Dutch Turkish origin. The police presence in the Poelenburg district has been beefed up as has security camera surveillance.

The group has been causing trouble outside the shopping centre for several weeks, intimidating staff and shoppers. One of the gang has been filming their actions and placing the videos on YouTube

Last week, justice minister Ard van der Steur warned that disruptive behaviour from young people in Zaandam ‘cannot be tolerated’ – although he added that police are up to the job of dealing with it, and the threat should not be exaggerated.