The Dutch Federation of Eritrean Communities organized a meeting in the conference center on February 17, where two other meetings were also organized. A total of 1500 people were present. Although the location of the Eritrean meeting was kept secret, opponents of the current Eritrean regime, who were also against the meeting, found out where it took place. In a short time, the number of opponents swelled.

Around 16:45, police officers present were pelted with stones and cars were set on fire. Police and the Mobile Unit were confronted with 300 opponents who tried to enter the conference centre. Panic broke out in the conference centre. Parked cars and cars of passers-by were damaged. The riot police from Rotterdam had to provide assistance. The violence was also directed against firefighters who tried to extinguish the fire at the conference centre. A large number of police officers were injured. Eventually, the police and riot police managed to drive away the counter-demonstrators. After 21:30, peace was restored. A trail of destruction was left behind at the conference centre and in the surrounding area. 

The court ruled that the violence committed can be considered as a whole of violent acts. The violence took place in places close to each other, where for about four hours the opponents of the meeting in the conference centre continuously turned violently against the police. A group dynamic developed in which a large number of individuals reacted to each other. The violent behaviour of one led to the other joining in or continuing to join in. The violence continued and escalated.

The court has determined that eight suspects made a significant and essential contribution to the violence. Suspects threw stones or objects at the police and riot police and police vehicles and walked around with sticks. All suspects must have seen that others also committed violence as they did themselves. The court rules that each suspect is also responsible for the violence that the others actually committed.

One suspect is acquitted of the public violence. This suspect filmed the violence. The court was unable to establish that he thereby promoted the violence. 

The court finds that two suspects are guilty of incitement. They did this together with others a few days before the riots via a livestream on social media. In it, statements were made about the planned meeting. Considering the content and the scope of the statements and the context in which the statements were made, the court finds that there was a call to stop the meeting and to let it come to a violent confrontation. 

The violence was of an unprecedented intensity. Even experienced police officers and riot police said they had never experienced violence like this before. It has caused great indignation in society. The background to the violence is the resistance of Eritrean refugees to the influence of the current Eritrean regime in Europe. The court finds it a bitter observation that precisely those who sought protection in a democratic legal order are violently turning against the government that offered them that protection.

The court finds prison sentences appropriate. This should also deter others from committing this type of unacceptable violence in the future. In determining the sentences, the court did look at the extent to which each suspect contributed to the violence. The court finds incitement to violence at least as serious as participation in the violence. A prison sentence is also appropriate for this. The suspect who is guilty of both public violence and incitement will be sentenced to the highest sentence, namely a prison sentence of 12 months, of which 4 months are conditional. The suspect who played the greatest part in the public violence of all the suspects will be sentenced to a prison sentence of 10 months, of which 4 months are conditional. All suspects who have now been convicted were previously released pending the hearing of their case. The court determines that they must all be remanded in custody.

In this case, 86 parties have requested compensation, including 66 police officers and riot police. They believe that, in addition to any physical injury, they have also suffered adverse (psychological) consequences. The court finds compensation for non-material damage appropriate for all police officers and riot police and awards various amounts for this. In addition, the court has awarded compensation to other injured parties, including almost 130,000 euros to a transport company for a coach that was set on fire. The National Police will receive more than 500,000 euros in compensation. The eight suspects who were convicted for the violence committed are all liable for the total amount of compensation, which amounts to more than 750,000 euros.