Police broke up protests against planned refugee housing in two Dutch towns on Tuesday evening. In Houten (near Utrecht), officers arrested three people outside the town hall. In Uithoorn (south of Amsterdam), five arrests were made after a larger march. Riot police were deployed in both places as fireworks and eggs were thrown and slogans shouted, local officials said.
What triggered the protests
Both councils are weighing new sites to meet national targets for asylum housing. Houten is considering about 337 places in an industrial area on the edge of town; Uithoorn is looking at housing for around 250 refugees. Tensions have risen across the country as municipalities are pressed to create more capacity while facing local resistance.
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Uithoorn’s mayor Pieter Heiliegers condemned threats and disruption around the demonstration and said the police response was scaled up to protect the democratic process. In Houten, coverage noted a tense atmosphere around the town hall gathering before police intervened.
These incidents follow a wave of protests against asylum centres in recent weeks, with dozens of arrests nationwide as councils try to add shelter places amid a housing shortage. National outlets report a pattern of marches moving from town-hall squares into residential areas, forcing emergency services to cordon streets and evacuate stations or buildings when needed.
