Police deployment in Den Bosch after threats to storm a refugee center
The police in the city of Den Bosch deployed their forces on Saturday evening after threats emerged of an invasion of a local asylum center. About 100 officers were deployed, including riot units from Amsterdam, to secure the area. Despite the significant tensions, no direct clashes occurred.
The Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers (COA), responsible for receiving asylum seekers, had informed the police after detecting messages in a WhatsApp group discussing plans to attack the center. The police confirmed that they were not prepared to take risks given the seriousness of the threat.
About 40 people gathered near the regional government building in Den Bosch, but they left quickly. It seems that the heavy security presence, including the use of a drone to monitor the area, helped prevent escalation.
Authorities believe that the group is linked to the network of far-right activists Defend Netherlands. This group recently participated in an anti-immigration demonstration in Malieveld in The Hague that ended in riots.
The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD has been investigating such "defense groups" for some time. According to the agency, these groups operate as parallel security units during protests, claiming to protect demonstrators from police violence. However, officials warn that their activities could lead to destabilization and escalate tensions.