An anti-immigration protest is planned in Dam Square in Amsterdam on October 12.
Anti-immigration groups are planning to organize a protest in Dam Square in Amsterdam on October 12. The protest was announced via TikTok by the group Nationaal Protest and is scheduled to take place from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The organizers say the aim of this event is to oppose "mass immigration" and highlight the housing crisis in the Netherlands.
The accompanying video to the advertisement shows a young girl holding a sign that reads: "We do not reclaim the night, we reclaim our country!" This refers to the "Reclaim the Night" protests that took place in several cities last month following the murder of a 17-year-old girl and several violent attacks targeting women.
The advertisement also includes slogans such as "No to asylum centers" and "Enough = Enough". These are the same slogans that were chanted during an anti-asylum demonstration in Malieveld in The Hague last week, which turned into violent riots. The Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) warned that such disturbances indicate a growing normalization of right-wing extremism in the country.
For its part, the authorities in Amsterdam said they are aware of the demonstration but cannot yet comment on how to handle it. A spokesperson for the Amsterdam municipality confirmed that the city is in consultations with the organizers regarding the event.
The Nationaal Protest group clarified that the demonstration was initially scheduled for October 19, but it was postponed due to its coincidence with the Amsterdam Marathon on that day. Additionally, October 12 will see congestion in the capital, as the Dutch national team will meet its Finnish counterpart at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, which will open its doors at 4:00 PM, right after the demonstration ends.