Schools shut in two Dutch towns over youth violence and abuse videos

All five secondary schools in Beverwijk and Heemskerk are closed in a bid to restore calm.

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All five schools in Beverwijk and Heemskerk have been closed in a bid to restore calm after images circulated of teenagers being attacked, along with AI-generated videos showing fake explosions at two schools.

Beverwijk Mayor Martijn Smit has issued a three-day emergency order, banning all gatherings of three or more people and designating areas as "high-risk" to prevent potential gun use.

"Parents were worried about their children going into school," Smit told NOS Radio, "so it was wisest to have a day of calm and then go back on Monday."

Two rival groups of youths have been blamed for the escalating violence, which apparently began with serious damage caused to a school in Beverwijk last week. Police said a 22-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of vandalism.