Riots halt the housing plan for teenage female refugees
The municipality of Coevorden, in the province of Drenthe, announced on Friday the cancellation of a plan to accommodate 14 teenage refugee girls with residence permits, following an escalation of violence and protests that threatened their safety.
The girls were to be housed in five adjacent houses that had previously been designated for people with disabilities, in a town with a population of about 35,000. Despite the municipality's assurances that the housing would be reserved for girls only, some residents expressed concerns about the possibility of "young men with trauma" also coming. The protests escalated into violent acts that included burning cars, breaking windows of the housing, and hanging anti-refugee banners around the city. Riot police intervened on Thursday night to enforce order.
Mayor Renzi Bergsma said: "I make this decision with very mixed feelings. We cannot guarantee the safety of these girls, and they deserve a safe home and future, which we cannot provide at this time." He added: "It is unacceptable to call the police and fire department daily to restore order. I strongly condemn those who use intimidation and arson to prevent the arrival of girls." Bergsma explained that the aim of canceling the plan is to prevent escalating tensions in the Tuindorp neighborhood, acknowledging the lack of trust between residents and authorities, calling for "calm and dialogue."
For its part, the Nidos organization responsible for the care of girls expressed its shock at the speed of the decision, stating: "It is unfortunate that violence and intimidation have ultimately triumphed, while the real victims are these girls."
It is noted that this is not the first time local protests have led to the failure of refugee housing plans in the Netherlands. In March, a large asylum center project near the village of Berlicum in Noord-Brabant was suspended after protests that included hanging pig heads on the site’s fence. The Telegraaf reported in February that plans for at least 20 other centers had been canceled or postponed due to objections from local residents, including projects in Elst, Deurne, Heerenveen, and Zwolle. All Dutch municipalities are legally required to provide housing for a specified number of refugees based on population and socio-economic status.