Approximately eighty police officers armed with truncheons and equipped with helmets and gas masks entered the W-hal, among other places. After the departure of the Joint Technical Department this hall has been virtually empty.

The purpose of the exercise was to keep a diverse group of ringleaders under control. Some thirty warders from the prison in Vught and a number of employees from a security company acted as demonstrators. Activities did not proceed entirely perfectly. During the first exercise one of the ‘rioters’ broke his thumb when things turned slightly too realistic.

During this training exercise the police dogs section was deployed also, as was the mounted police. Five of the demonstrators were dressed in padded yellow overalls in part or in full. The dogs could bite into the well-protected opposing party to their heart’s content. Some dogs were really at the end of their tether when the night was over. Their impressive barking had turned into a mere timid cough. “Things will be very quiet in the kennel tonight”, one of the dog handlers said with a smile.

Publicity
According to a police spokeswoman the riot police regularly uses vacant business premises and offices in the region to practice. She does not rule out the possibility that the campus will serve as a training ground again some time in the future. Three years ago the event took place there as well. Then a number of TU/e students acted out the part of demonstrators.

This time the police gave little publicity to the training and besides, the exercise occurred in the evening from 19.30 to 21.15 hours, so that most students will have missed the spectacle altogether./.