Dutch police reported facing an unprecedented level of violence on New Year’s Eve, with officers across the Netherlands pelted with fireworks and explosives.

In Amsterdam, a 19th-century landmark, the Vondelkerk, caught fire in the early hours of New Year’s Day, causing the collapse of its 50-metre tower, though the cause remains unknown.

Fireworks-related incidents elsewhere proved deadly, with a 17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man killed in the Netherlands, and two 18-year-olds dying in Germany after setting off homemade fireworks.

Attacks on emergency services were reported nationwide, including petrol bombs thrown at police in Breda and numerous eye injuries treated in Rotterdam, many involving minors, the BBC has reported.

The violence came amid record fireworks spending and ahead of a nationwide ban on unofficial fireworks set to take effect in 2026.