Rioters in The Hague pelt police with stones and fireworks as protests over COVID measures continue.

Five police officers were injured in the Netherlands and at least 40 people were arrested across three provinces as violent protests against COVID restrictions continued for a second night.

Five officers were hurt in The Hague, one of them seriously, a police statement said.

“The riots and extreme violence against police officers, riot police and firefighters last night in Rotterdam are disgusting to see,” he said in a statement.

An independent investigation into the shootings by police was opened, as is the case whenever Dutch police use their weapons.

In The Hague on Saturday, a pizza shop owner told the AFP news agency that police had dragged several people out of his shop, smashed the glass in its front door and hit him on the head for “no reason”.

AFP correspondents reported seeing police arrest several people in the working-class Schilderswijk neighbourhood of The Hague, with plainclothes officers at one point dragging a woman out of a car.

In a statement, The Hague police said the five injured officers included one who was taken to hospital suffering concussion and two others who suffered hearing damage from loud fireworks.