Staatsbosbeheer, the Dutch forestry commission, is worried about staff safety in the face of increasing violence towards its rangers, broadcaster NOS reports.

In 2017 Staatsbosbeheer staff had to contend with aggressive behaviour from members of the public some 70 times. So far three incidents have been recorded in 2018.

The most recent incident happened on Saturday in the IJsselmonde nature reserve where rangers had an encounter with a large group of people making a campfire and driving around on scooters, both of which are forbidden.

When the rangers wanted to prevent a number of people from fleeing the scene a scuffle broke out and one of the rangers’ nose was broken. Police later arrested two people, NOS said.

Staatsbosbeheer says the violence is ‘unacceptable’ and wants its staff to be issued with handcuffs, a truncheon and pepper spray. The justice department has so far only sanctioned the use of handcuffs but will soon condone the use of a truncheon, NOS writes.