Police have arrested 100 people after a gang of youths in the Brabant village of Veen hurled bottles and fireworks at police cars and fire engines on Monday night, Nos television reports.

The emergency services came to the village, which has a population of around 2,500, after receiving reports that a car was on fire shortly after midnight.

On their arrival in the village’s main street, groups of youths began throwing bottles and fireworks at the official vehicles, police said.

Cafe

Eight youths were arrested after they refused to leave the area. Others ran into a village cafe, at which point the police called in a helicopter and circled the building.

The youngsters were taken out of the cafe one by one and taken in police minibuses to detention cells in Breda and Tilburg.

Veen, which traces its history back to the 12th century, is a trouble hotspot during the New Year celebrations and setting cars on fire has become somewhat of a tradition.

Violence

The police union ACP on Tuesday urged colleagues to report all attacks on emergency service workers during the New Year celebrations in an effort to get a better picture of developments nationwide.

This year, around 1,000 people have been arrested during the festivities for setting fires, fighting, vandalism and other offences. In 2012, the arrest total reached 1,300.

National police chief Gerard Bouman says in Tuesday’s Telegraaf he wants to see higher sentences for attacks on the police and other emergency service workers during New Year.

Most of those arrested during the last celebrations were given community service or fines during super fast-track court hearings. According to the AD, just 13 have been ordered to stay home this year or face arrest again.