Antifa activists in the Dutch city of Utrecht have called for a counter-protest against a remigration rally involving conservative activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.
Several groups are using social media to mobilise against the opening event of the European Shield Tour, which is due to begin at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday at Jaarbeursplein.
According to Dutch news outlet NieuwRechts, posts promoting the counter-protest include the slogans “Bash the fash!” and “Let’s chase these Nazis off our streets!”
The rally is being organised by the Save Europe Act citizens’ initiative to promote remigration and draw attention to its proposal, which was recently rejected by the European Commission.
Brussels refused to register the initiative after concluding that it discriminated on the grounds of race, ethnic origin and cultural background and therefore conflicted with fundamental European values. The decision prevents the proposal from proceeding through the EU’s official citizens’ initiative process.
Organisers argue that the rejection shows that European institutions are seeking to prevent a wider debate about migration. The Utrecht rally will launch a campaign expected to visit several European cities.
The counter-protest is being promoted by groups including tinnitus_patches, which describes itself as a collective of “eco-anarchist queers,” and Wandelclub 030, an anarchist organisation that says “Antifa is more than taking a walk around the city.”
The activists have named the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht as their meeting point and said it was time for “tougher counter-protests.”
