Police broke up a series of illegal parties at the weekend, the biggest of which took place in Limburg where 100 to 150 people had gathered in the woods near Geulle on Saturday night.

Limburg police, who were assisted by military police units from Amsterdam, Noord-Brabant and Oost-Nederland, fined some 100 partygoers and 11 people were arrested for not carrying ID.

Organised events at which the guests are not seated have been banned under the partial lockdown imposed earlier this month and illegal parties have been proliferating.

In Halfweg in Haarlemmermeer, police put a stop to a Halloween party where dozens of people were packed in a holiday house.

Haarlemmermeer mayor Marianne Schuurmans called the organisers of illegal parties ‘criminals’ who should face higher fines. ‘These parties are anti-social and irresponsible at a time when we are all trying to keep health care services accessible to all and limit further damage to the economy,’ Schuurmans said on Twitter.

In Amsterdam three illegal parties were broken up on Saturday night. Some 60 people had gathered in a house in the Zuidas business district. The two owners of the house were fined, as well as one of the guests who acted as doorman. Near the Leidseplein a party with more than 20 guests was also broken up and the sound system impounded.

A party at a building on a business park on the A10 ring road ended in violence when one of the partygoers hit a police officer in the jaw. The man in question was arrested.

In total, police say they issued more that 350 fines to illegal partygoers over the weekend. The fines for breaking social distancing and other coronavirus rules have been cut from €395 plus a criminal record to €95. The organisers of illegal parties face fines of €4,000.