Clashes in The Hague over the planned asylum center
Police in The Hague cleared a protest in the Vogelwijk neighborhood on Saturday after demonstrators opposed plans to house asylum seekers in a former hospital, leading to clashes and forced removals from the area.
The protest took place near Sportlaan, where the city had designated the surrounding area as a safety risk zone (veiligheidsrisicogebied). According to an ANP correspondent, dozens of demonstrators refused to leave after an eviction order and were pushed off the street by police using batons. Officers later chased remaining protesters into nearby streets.
Many of those involved were described as young men wearing dark clothing and caps. Around 2 p.m., a group attempted to reach the former hospital building and knocked down a fence in the process. Police intervened to prevent further escalation.
The former hospital currently serves as winter shelter for around 80 homeless people. Over the coming months, additional groups—including asylum seekers (asielzoekers), recognized refugees (statushouders), youth, and homeless families—are expected to move in gradually. In total, the site is planned to accommodate approximately 750 temporary residents.
Protesters voiced strong opposition to the arrival of asylum seekers, holding a banner that read: “Azc, nee! Seniorenwoning Ja!” (“Asylum center, no! Senior housing, yes!”). They called the project a “dangerous social experiment” and referred to Stek Oost in Amsterdam (housing project in Amsterdam), where recognized refugees and first-time home buyers lived together and where several violent and sexual incidents were reported in recent years.
A spokesperson for The Hague Alderman Mariëlle Vavier said the situation on Sportlaan is “completely different” from the project in Amsterdam. She emphasized that, unlike at Stek Oost, there will be no buddy system with students, and the various resident groups will live in separate housing units within a much larger complex. “It is just like in a big city, where different people live next to each other,” she stated.