The Hague Council to debate police response after anti-immigration riots this weekend

The municipal council of The Hague will hold a debate on public safety on Wednesday, following violent anti-immigration protests that erupted on Saturday at Malieveld. Mayor Jan van Zanen is invited to participate in the discussion, which is part of a broader session on security issues in the city. The issue is also expected to be a contentious issue in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, with some opposition parties alleging the riots were politically-motivated, while some Cabinet members have refused to classify the violence as such.

The commission-Bestuur (Governance Committee) meeting begins at 13:30 and will cover multiple topics, including the security of the Israeli embassy, car theft, street intimidation, radicalization, police handling of demonstrations, and incidents involving explosives at residences.

The debate comes after more than 1,200 demonstrators clashed with police during a protest against the Dutch asylum policy. Protesters threw glass and stones, attacked officers, set police vehicles on fire, and later moved into the city center, damaging property near the Binnenhof and the D66 party office. Police arrested at least 37 people.

Demissionary Minister of Justice and Security Foort van Oosten (VVD) will meet with the police union ACP to discuss potential additional weaponry for officers. The union recommended measures to keep rioters at a distance and reduce the risk of firearms use.

ACP spokesperson Patrick Fluyt told De Telegraaf, “If the baton is no longer sufficient, only the pistol remains. A scenario that nobody wants.” Van Oosten called the request “a clear signal” but said further study and consultation are required. “It is not something to add lightly. We will examine this idea carefully and discuss it with the union,” he said.

Journalists covering the protests were also attacked. Peter ter Velde, project leader at PersVeilig, said eight reports of injuries have been filed, including six photographers and one cameraman. Two required hospital treatment—one for three head stitches, another for a concussion. Other journalists suffered bruises and minor injuries, and one reported being unable to work. Ter Velde said one journalist has filed a police report, while the rest were advised to do so. The police urged, “If journalists have been victims of violence, we also call on them to file a report.”

Experts say the extreme-right ideology behind the protests played a key role in the violence. Specialists from Movisie, the Dutch center for social development, say that football hooligans were largely responsible, often overlapping with far-right groups. Racist, antisemitic, and homophobic chants are common among these groups.

Movisie expert Hanneke Felten said, “One of the main causes of extreme-right beliefs is the belief in racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories. Preventing conspiracy thinking begins proactively, for example, with interventions in schools. More importantly, these theories should not receive attention in the media or public debate, nor be treated as normal conversation topics.”

Fear of migrants also drives hostility. Felten explained, “Some people feel threatened when migrants succeed in education or the labor market. In their worldview, only one group can dominate. This perceived threat can fuel anti-migrant sentiment.” Research shows that contact between communities reduces prejudice.

The Tweede Kamer plans to hold a debate this week on the riots. All parties backed DENK leader Stephan van Baarle’s request to schedule the debate this week, preferably following Wednesday’s discussion on the issue in The Hague city council.

Van Baarle has requested that outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof be present at the debate, but right-wing parties oppose this. They argue that it is enough for Ministers Foort van Oosten (Justice and Security) and Frank Rijkaart (Interior) to participate. Ultimately, the cabinet decides which ministers attend plenary debates.