Nine of the 30 people arrested while taking part in Sunday’s banned demonstration against the coronavirus rules remain in custody, police said on Monday.

Seven of the nine face charges of attacking the police and the other two had illegal weapons, police told news website Nu.nl. The rest have been released with a fine or out of court settlement.

Despite the ban, some 10,000 people turned up to take part in the demonstration on the Museumplein, many of whom marched through the city to Westerpark when police ordered them to leave.

There they joined a rally organised by the far right Forum voor Democratie, which had been given permission to take place.

Complaints

Police also confirmed that they have received online complaints about the police action but these are not yet formal, broadcaster NOS reported.

The UN special rapporteur for torture is among those who reacted to an uploaded film showing a police dog attacking a demonstrator.

Call for evidence:

In preparation for my official visit in 2022 to #Netherlands, #Poland & #France focusing on #PoliceViolence, I invite victims, witnesses & NGO to submit verifiable evidence (Eng/Fre) on this & other incidents:

➡️sr-torture@ohchr.org (confidentiality assured) https://t.co/B4kPL9sxJ0

— Nils Melzer (@NilsMelzer) January 2, 2022

The police said the violence erupted when a group of demonstrators tried to break through a police line. The man who was bitten by the dog was treated in hospital for the injury to his hand and that incident will be investigated.

Four police officers were also injured in different incidents, the police said in a statement.

Confrontation

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema banned the demonstration because of the risk to public order and because the organisers ‘refused’ to cooperate with plans to ensure it could take place safely.

The city said in a press release that the organisers of the demonstration, who had claimed 25,000 people would attend, had indicated they were ‘out for confrontation’.

Several hundred people were arrested in riots across the Netherlands last January after the curfew was introduced. There was more trouble, sparked by organised troublemakers in Rotterdam, in November.