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Arson at Dutch Asylum Shelter Prompts Extremism Probe and Arrests

The domestic intelligence service has opened an inquiry into possible orchestration of the unrest.

Overview

  • In Loosdrecht, hundreds hurled fireworks at a temporary asylum site, setting bushes and the facade on fire while 15 new arrivals were inside, and riot police cleared a path for firefighters.
  • Police have arrested three suspects tied to the attack, including a 28-year-old man on suspicion of arson and two minors accused of violence, and none of them live in Loosdrecht.
  • Protests have also flared in Apeldoorn, Den Bosch and The Hague, with arrests after clashes and a fireworks explosion at a planned youth shelter in Den Bosch, as councils add temporary sites under a national distribution law and a shortage of reception places.
  • Prime Minister Rob Jetten called the violence unacceptable and Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink condemned the attacks as vandalism.
  • The AIVD is examining whether the street actions are organized, and reporting highlights the role of the Defend Nederland network and the encouragement of PVV leader Geert Wilders.