When unrest goes viral

In recent days there has been major unrest in Beverwijk, Heemskerk and Haarlem due to tensions between rival youth groups. Violent images and threats are circulating on social media; schools and sports clubs closed their doors as a precaution or early, and the police are more visible in the neighbourhood. Manipulated/AI videos showing explosions or other threats are also circulating, further fuelling the panic.

Online it is clear: videos of assaults, calls to action and rumours are quickly spread and reposted. That reinforces the feeling that the problem is bigger and closer. Some messages escalate into calls that are polarising and hostile, from "send them back to their own country" to calls for tough enforcement "bring in the army", and we see that polarisation reflected in comments and reposts.

Why does this affect young people?
- Proximity: many of those involved are secondary school pupils; their age and world are recognisable.
- Loss of trust: images and stories suggest that emergency services and institutions do not always protect sufficiently. That creates the feeling: "we're not safe anywhere anymore".
- Social pressure & status: group identity and online reputation reinforce rivalry: likes, reposts and tags make escalation attractive for some young people.
- Unpredictability: AI content and fake messages make it hard to see what is real. Uncertainty increases fear and leads to more spreading.

How does the trend develop?
- Visibility & normalisation: videos of confrontations and threats are widely shared and sometimes claimed as 'proven' facts. Young people show online that they 'belong' by reacting, tagging or sharing material.
- Offline effect: schools and sports clubs close or limit activities as a precaution; parents keep children at home; the police are more present.
- Reinforcing mechanism: each new message or shocking video increases the collective unrest and prompts others to share or react.

• Young people who literally say: "I don't want to go to school, what if it gets out of hand?"
• "If it's online, it's real … or isn't it?"
• "They're naming our area/our neighbourhood, so we have to get them back." — these statements show fear, uncertainty and sometimes the motivation for retaliation.
• Increase in shared videos of fights, 'call-outs' or threats.
• Posts tagging local schools, sports clubs or specific young people.
• Circulation of manipulated or AI videos showing locations or explosions.
• Young people avoiding training sessions or gatherings, or, conversely, gathering en masse on closed channels.
• Calls for violence or polarisation in comments.
• Parents offering means or 'protection' out of fear. This can encourage escalation or the criminalisation of young people.

Escalate to GEVAARLIJK (dangerous) with calls for violence or retaliation, tags of specific young people/schools, or concrete threats: this constitutes acute escalation. Coordinate immediately between the municipality, police, schools and youth work, and take legal action against hate and calls for violence.

Practical advice for action (for schools, municipality, youth work, police):

• Monitor the online world in a targeted and GDPR-aware way: follow fast-moving signals — which accounts post, who reposts, who is tagged, which texts and memes circulate, and on which platforms. Work with logs and (short) analyses.
• Communicate transparently and quickly: give facts, not rumours. State what is known, what is being investigated and which concrete measures have been taken. This reduces speculation and rumours.
• Create safe offline alternatives: organise safe meeting places, extra youth work capacity and peer conversations. Engage role models/prominent figures who enjoy local trust.
• De-escalation in the online sphere: where possible, ask platforms to remove violent or misleading images (reporting procedures). Work with social media coaches or media trainers to give young people media literacy (recognising AI, verifying content, consequences of sharing).
• Safety and enforcement in balance: combine visible police presence with outreach: youth teams, role models and community police officers must be reachable and present in accessible places.
• Responses to polarisation and hateful reactions: take legal action against hate and calls for violence where necessary, and communicate clearly that such language is unacceptable. Support community moderation and counter-voices from neighbourhood and youth initiatives.

Short step-by-step plan for acute escalation:
- Coordinate between the municipality, police, schools and youth work (consistent information).
- Inform parents and pupils immediately with clear instructions.
- Monitor social media in a targeted way (accounts, reposts, tags, AI content).
- Carry out targeted outreach (youth teams, confidential advisers).
- Evaluate and document: what worked, what didn't, and learn for next time.

In a group
- "What have you seen and how did it affect you?"
- "Does it feel safer or actually worse when you share messages or react to them?"
- "What steps would you take yourselves to protect each other without increasing the risk of escalation?"

One-to-one
- "Have you shared or tagged messages, and why?"
- "When do you feel most unsafe and what really helps you then?"

Acknowledge fear and emotions, avoid a moralising tone and do not immediately judge online behaviour.

• TrendSein – Als onrust viraal gaat: over rivaliserende jeugdgroepen in Beverwijk, Heemskerk en Haarlem (Trendsein - Als onrust viraal gaat.pdf)