Violent clashes in The Hague between supporters and opponents of Eritrea's authoritarian government resulted in injury to six police officers and considerable damage to property, police in the Dutch city reported on Sunday.
Police and emergency service staff were pelted with stones and fireworks as the opposing groups clashed at an events centre in the city on Saturday evening.
Thirteen men between the ages of 19 and 36 were arrested, police said.
Two police vehicles and a coach were completely burnt out, and other vehicles seriously damaged. The centre, where the pro-government group had organized a gathering, was also damaged.
Participants in the gathering were affected by the heat and smoke.
Riot police used tear gas to quell the riot that erupted when a group opposed to the government of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki arrived. The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen condemned the violence and imposed a state of emergency on the area.
"Our officers were suddenly confronted with extremely serious violence," police commander Mariëlle van Vulpen said. "It is regrettable that police officers and other emergency services were seriously attacked. This is unacceptable," she said.
Investigations were proceeding, van Vulpen added.
Over recent months, violence has erupted at meetings of Eritreans in other countries, as supporters and opponents of the dictatorial government in the country in the Horn of Africa have clashed.
Last summer, 26 police officers were injured during riots at an Eritrea festival in Giessen near Frankfurt in Germany.
Just a few weeks later, 50 people were injured at a festival organized by Eritreans in the Swedish capital Stockholm. In Tel Aviv, dozens of people were injured in September when a protest by opponents of the Eritrean government against an event at the country's embassy turned violent.
Eritrea, with a population of around 3 million, is located in north-east Africa on the Red Sea and is largely isolated internationally.
Afwerki has ruled the country since it gained independence around 30 years ago. Political parties are banned, and freedom of expression and press are heavily restricted. There is neither a parliament nor independent courts or civil society organizations.
