MPs will debate whether to restrict New Year fireworks to professional displays on Tuesday amid growing calls for a ban on commercial sales.

Opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA has revived a bill to outlaw private fireworks after nearly 300 police officers and 49 other emergency service workers were victims of violent attacks on December 31.

A 14-year-old boy died on New Year’s Eve when an illegal cobra firework went off as he tried to relight it, while eye surgeons reported 187 injuries, the highest number for 10 years.

The centre-right Christian Democrat party (CDA) came out this week in support of a national firework ban, citing the “rising anti-social behaviour and lack of responsibility that are widely visible in our society”.

National police chief Janny Knol added her voice to the calls for a ban at the start of the year. Four in 10 police officers say they are no longer willing to work at New Year because of the threat of violence and injury.

VVD crucial

However, the measure still does not have majority support in parliament. The far-right PVV, which has the largest group of MPs, and its coalition partner BBB are among those who defend New Year fireworks as a national tradition.

The VVD, the second largest coalition party, has not declared its position, but has historically been opposed to a ban.

VVD justice minister David van Weel would not be drawn on whether he supported a change in the law, but said growing concerns about safety around New Year must be addressed.

“What we’ve seen at New Year is that violence against emergency service workers and police is increasing,” he told RTL Nieuws. “That’s clearly unacceptable and we have to do something about the way we celebrate New Year.”

Stricter rules

Regulation have been tightened in recent years, including a ban on firecrackers in 2020, while some municipalities have banned private citizens from setting off fireworks. However, they do not have the authority to ban sales.

Van Weel pointed out that banning fireworks would not stop people trying to import them, but more than half of eye injuries this year were caused by legal explosives.

“A firework ban can certainly be part of the solution to one part of this problem, but we also have to realise that it’s not the Holy Grail that solves all our problems,” the minister said.