Dutch gov't invests €7 mil. into fighting radicalization

Twenty Dutch municipalities will receive a total of 7 million euros to strengthen their approach to fighting radicalization. Ministers Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security and Wouter Koolmees of Social Affairs divided the amount among municipalities who submitted plans to prevent radicalization and manage people who have been radicalized, the Telegraaf reports.

The largest amount, 1 million euros, is going to the municipality of The Hague. Utrecht is getting over 900 thousand euros, and Rotterdam over 850 thousand euros.

The municipalities' plans for 2019 mainly focus on increasing awareness and knowledge of care providers and supporting the friends and families of radicalized young people. The municipalities will also focus on building networks with key figures and helping educators notice signs of possible radicalization.

Mayor Pauline Krikke of The Hague is pleased with "this impulse" from the government, she said to the newspaper. Her city will use the money to, among other things, make young people more resilient against radicalization, and to train professionals in recognizing and acting on signs of radicalizations.

Dutch municipalities have been able to apply for support funds since 2016 as part of the national counter-terrorism coordinator NCTV's broad approach against terrorism.