Parliament on Tuesday passed legislation allowing local mayors to impose 12-hour stop and search controls if they fear public order may be under threat.

The proposal was passed by an overwhelming majority of MPs. D66 voted against, saying stop and search operations are a serious infringement of personal privacy.

At the moment, stop and search operations are only permitted in areas which have been classed as ‘at risk’. These are currently confined to the cities. The new measures will allow police to carry out random searches if mayors have declared an emergency situation.

The new rules will also allow police to search ‘on and in the body’ of people they arrest, website PrivacyBarometer.nl states.