Clashes erupt as Holland goes BACK into lockdown: Police spray protesters with water cannon as shops and restaurants are ordered to close early - and Covid cases rise across EU while they FALL in UK
- Around 200 protestors clashed with riot police and were blasted with a water cannon in The Hague on Friday
- It comes as Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the return of a partial Covid lockdown in the country
- Bars, restaurants, shops will close from 8pm and social distancing measures are set to be reimposed
Hundreds of
Dutch protestors had a water cannon turned on them by police after they objected to the partial return of
lockdown in the Netherlands as Covid cases continue to soar.
Dutch police blasted a group of around 200 people in The Hague with water in a bid to disperse demonstrators who had been throwing stones and fireworks in protest on Friday evening.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte, 54, was giving a press briefing to the media when protestors clashed with riot police and mounted officers outside the Justice and Security Ministry in the Dutch city.
In the clip, dozens of protestors can be seen sitting on the ground where they brace for impact as police turned the water cannons on them. As they turn their backs and shield one another from the barrage, officers spray them again.
Later that evening, after flares, projectiles and bicycles were thrown at police, officers were seen hitting fleeing demonstrators with batons as what started as a peaceful protest descended into chaos.
Although death remain low, the Netherlands recorded their highest ever daily infection count positive Covid cases on Friday as medics warned hospitals were being put under huge pressure amid a record-breaking surge of infections.
Referring to the 'unpleasant' return of lockdown measures from this Saturday, Rutte said restrictions that the Dutch people had thought had ended for good were being re-imposed for three weeks.
Meanwhile, Covid cases have tumbled in the UK over the past month, leading to prominent experts including '
Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson to share their optimism that the UK can avoid a return of 'Netherlands-style lockdown' restrictions this winter.
Infections have trended downwards since October 24, with independent tracking studies finding a 16 per cent weekly decline last week.
Hospital admissions for the virus have decreased for nearly a week straight, and are projected to fall even further in coming weeks. Another 145 coronavirus deaths were also registered on Friday in a 25 per cent decrease compared to the toll last week.
Speaking on BBC R4's Today programme, Professor Ferguson said: '
We might see slow increases as we did in October. I think it is unlikely we will get anything close to what we had last year, that catastrophic winter wave.'
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