THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The Dutch government plans to ban the sale of most fireworks in a bid to rein in injuries and attacks on emergency service workers during unruly New Year’s Eve celebrations, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Friday. “The ban is necessary because the most recent year’s end again did not go well,” the government said in a statement explaining its decision. Eye doctors regularly report serious injuries caused by fireworks around New Year’s Eve. Opposition has grown in recent years to the tradition and some cities already have introduced firework-free zones on New Year’s Eve. However, some people already visit other countries to buy and smuggle back into the Netherlands more powerful firecrackers than the ones sold here.

Source: thestar January 31, 2020 16:30 UTC