More than 100 people protesting over the outlawing of squatting at unused buildings in the Netherlands clashed with police in Amsterdam’s historic centre, throwing stones, starting fires and erecting barricades.

THE scene has unfolded countless times in the Netherlands: Young people break into an unused building, move in a table, chair and bed, and then tell the police they are now the official residents – with no permission from the owner and no plans to pay rent.

An armed man has taken an unknown number of hostages today in the Rembrandt Tower office building, Amsterdam’s tallest building.