Rotterdam ramps up fight against radicalization

Rotterdam plans to do more in the fight against radicalization.

The Report- and Advice Center Radicalization of the Rotterdam municipality is going to give more training to youth workers and teachers, among others, in how to recognize radicalization. There will also be more meetings in which professionals are made aware of radicalization. This was written in a letter that Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb (PvdA) wrote the the city council on Tuesday.

According to Aboutaleb, the number of the employees in the report and advice center recently expanded to meed the increasing demand for aid. Now more than before, employees go out to inform and train people who come into contact with radicalization. These are authoritative people from Muslim communities, youth workers, employees of the youth desks, teachers and staff of district teams.

The city council earlier reported an increase in the number of reports of possible radicalization. So far this year 29 reports and requests for advice came in about Muslims who may be radicalized. Last year Rotterdam got 20 of those reports and requests. The increase is probably due to increased vigilance among Rotterdam citizens.