In wake of riots, Dutch court orders gov’t to lift COVID curfew

Court sides with anti-lockdown group, prompting the prime minister to launch appeal and advise citizens to respect controversial measure.

A Dutch court has ordered the government to scrap a nighttime curfew it imposed last month to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying officials were not entitled to use emergency powers to enforce the restrictive measure. But in response to Tuesday’s ruling, Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged citizens to continue abiding by the restrictions, telling a televised press conference his government would appeal the decision and that the measure was essential. The night-time curfew, in place since January 23, was the first to be rolled out in the Netherlands since World War II and in part led to the worst riots seen in the country for decades.