Dutch Police Launch Probe Into Use of Force Against Pregnant Woman

(MENAFN) Dutch police have opened a formal investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' center in Zeist, pledging that "all facts and circumstances will be carefully examined."

The inquiry was triggered after videos circulating on social media showed officers deploying force during an arrest at the facility on May 19, Dutch broadcaster NOS reported Monday. The footage, which spread rapidly online, showed officers confronting a man and a woman in a hallway of the center.

Police confirmed the woman featured in the recordings was pregnant, and acknowledged that the officer involved had no knowledge of her condition at the time of the incident. "He indicates that he would have acted differently if this had been the case," police said in a statement.

Authorities said officers were initially dispatched to the center following reports of threats and vandalism involving a knife. According to police, the woman was repeatedly asked to vacate the area for her own safety before the situation escalated.

"When she did not comply, an officer grabbed her by the arm and pulled her backward. She fell in the process," police said.

In one video, an officer handling a police dog pulls the woman backward, sending her to the ground. A separate clip shows officers dragging her away while simultaneously restraining the man.

Police further stated that the woman intervened during a physical struggle between the man and an officer, prompting other officers to remove her by her hood and arm.

"The woman then stated that she was pregnant, whereupon action was taken immediately, and she was examined by ambulance personnel," the statement added.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities face growing public pressure to account for the conduct of officers seen in the widely shared footage.

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