Schools closed in two Dutch cities for youth violence and abuse of videos

Secondary schools in two neighboring cities in the Netherlands were told to close on Friday because of a number of violence involving two groups of young people.

All five schools in Beverwick and Hemkewk are closed in an attempt to restore calm after the images are attacked teenagers, along with videos generated by AI showing false explosions in two schools.

The Mayor of Beverwijk Martjn Smit has issued a three -day emergency order, banning all gatherings of three or more people and defining areas such as “high risk” to prevent potential use of weapons.

“The parents were worried about their children to go to school,” Smith told Nos Radio, “so it was the worst to have a day of peace and then return on Monday.”

Two competitive groups of young people were accused of escalating violence, which apparently started with serious damage caused to a school in Beverwick last week. Police said a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of vandalism.

Then battles broke out and a boy was seriously injured. A tiktok video appeared, showing that the boy was kicked into his head with his mouth covered with a ribbon.

The mayor said that people are scared and that “very nasty videos” are shared, including abuse of young people, adding: “People’s pants are torn apart, their genitals are being filmed and publishing online – and I really think that’s enough.”

Dutch Justice Minister Foort van Oooten said it was “incredibly sad that schools should decide to do so” because it is the right of children to go to school.

Police said in a statement that they were working to “restore the peace and to ensure safety in the area” and had the power to the emergency orders by the mayors of Beverwick and Hemiskewk to carry out preventive search and order spread groups.

Sports clubs canceled evening training, with the local DEM club saying it was when disturbances were being committed.

“It’s hard to imagine that this is happening in a normal life,” said BBB Caroline de Plas farmers. “We get completely crazy.”