Around 500 people gathered in the Dutch village of Loosdrecht to protest plans to house 110 asylum seekers in the local town hall. Tensions escalated after some demonstrators threw fireworks and eggs at police, prompting riot units to intervene.
According to local authorities, the protest began peacefully but grew increasingly tense as the evening progressed. The situation worsened when protesters reportedly “aimed heavy illegal fireworks at police officers,” leading Mayor Mark Verheijen to request the deployment of riot police to disperse the crowd. By the time officers moved in, around 300 protesters remained at the scene. No arrests were made, but police have launched an investigation to determine whether any criminal offences occurred. The situation had calmed by approximately 10:00 p.m.
The demonstration was sparked by a recent decision by the municipality of Wijdemeren to allow the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers to temporarily house asylum seekers in the largely unused town hall building until November.
The unrest in Loosdrecht reflects a broader pattern of protests across the Netherlands. Last year, demonstrations against planned asylum shelters in Houten and Uithoorn escalated into clashes with police, resulting in at least seven arrests. Similar protests have also taken place in The Hague and Amsterdam.
