A court has ruled that an empty town hall in Loosdrecht can be used as an asylum centre, following nights of protests and rioting against the plans. Despite the court decision, the local council has decided to postpone opening the center until next month, after King’s Day, when more police will be available to provide security.
The court sided on Wednesday evening with the asylum seeker reception agency COA, which had argued that “the need is genuinely extreme – every place we can deliver today is strictly necessary”, news agency ANP reported. The judge ruled that the humanitarian case for the shelter outweighed local residents’ concerns.
The agency expects a shortfall of nearly 8,000 reception places across the country by August.
Before the court’s decision was made, the council had already announced the opening would be pushed back to May, saying it could not guarantee public safety while police are deployed in large numbers on Monday for King’s Day.
Rioting continues
Riot police were called to the empty town hall on Rading on Wednesday evening for the third night in a row after fireworks were set off in the area.
The council said at least one officer was injured, broadcaster NOS reported. Mayor Mark Verheijen said peaceful protest was welcome but that public order disruptions were “unacceptable”.
The first protest, on Monday night, drew around 500 people after a petition with 3,000 signatures against the shelter was handed in. Riot police broke up a second night of protest on Tuesday, at which two people were arrested.
National pattern
Loosdrecht is one of several towns currently fighting over asylum centers. Riot police also intervened at a demonstration this week against a planned shelter in Den Bosch, where the council wants to house 50 asylum seekers aged 15 to 18.
In Gelderland, the council in Epe has started fining the COA €63,480 per day up to €11.4 million until a hotel still housing more than 200 asylum seekers is vacated.
In late March, asylum minister Bart van den Brink wrote to all mayors warning of a 4,500-bed shortfall, with people at risk of having to sleep outside. Under the so-called spreading law, councils have until 1 July to provide their share of reception places, and the minister has said he will force them to comply if they do not.
