Controle Alt Delete holds memorial for victims of police arrests

The civil rights organization Controle Alt Delete held a memorial in Rotterdam to honor individuals who died during or following police arrests. Between 100 and 200 attendees gathered at Schouwburgplein, where 142 memorial markers were placed to represent victims recorded between 2016 and 2025.

The organization noted that approximately 80 percent of the individuals represented by the markers in Rotterdam have a migration background. This year’s commemoration focused on the ten-year anniversary of the death of Eggy Uitenwerf.

A relative of Uitenwerf spoke at the event, noting a recent victory at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The court ruled that the State failed to demonstrate that the force used during the arrest was strictly necessary and found that officers were not adequately trained for the situation.