Unrest in Noord-Brabant villages after anti-asylum protesters target homes
Residents of the Noord-Brabant villages of Engelen and Bokhoven responded with shock and fear to abusive language and anti-asylum shelter slogans painted onto several homes and cars over the weekend. “Anger, frustration, and fear,” Hettie, whose home in Bokhoven was vandalized, told Omroep Brabant about how she and her husband feel.
Several of the homes targeted belong to people who support the municipality of Den Bosch’s plan to open a long-term shelter for unaccompanied child asylum seekers on an industrial estate on the border of Engelen. The municipality, which covers the two villages, announced in April that it planned to house 50 children aged 15 to 18 there. The announcement was met with several fierce protests in May, including an explosive detonated at the location and protesters blocking the nearby A59 highway.
At Hettie’s home, the vandals spray-painted their doorbell green and drew red crosses over the Vluchtelingenwerk posters they had hanging in their windows. Hettie and her husband support the municipality’s plan to shelter these children.
"We see the concerns, and we must take them seriously. But what is happening in the community now, with violence and this kind of vandalism, is something we absolutely do not support,” she told Omroep Brabant.
Rob and Ingrid think their home in Engelen was targeted because they published an appeal in the local newspaper for an open conversation about the plans for the shelter. "This is very scary," Rob told Omroep Brabant. They weren’t at home when the vandalism happened.
“We are not necessarily in favor of the reception center. We understand very well that people are very worried. That is why we, too, simply want information and to talk to everyone about possible consequences, risks, and solutions. Without anger or arguments,” Rob said.
“Because of that open attitude, we are now being placed on the side of the real proponents, and our name is circulating among extreme opponents,” he said. “We just want to be able to talk about it, but that is being made impossible for the entire town of Engelen by intimidation and threats.”
Bokhoven resident Ietje is keeping herself out of the discussion, but her dark blue car was also spray-painted with green paint. She thinks it is because of the poster on her neighbor’s home, which reads “Hospitable Engelen, everyone is welcome,” translated from Dutch.
“I am not expressing myself in that way, but I think it’s fine that he has it hanging,” she told the broadcaster, but added that she would now prefer he take the poster down to prevent further damage to her property.
Another local told Omroep Brabant that they feel uncomfortable on the street since the vandalism. “It hurts me that this is happening in our village. There is already enough trash in the world. Just keep talking to each other and keep your hands off each other’s stuff.”
The municipality of Den Bosch said on Monday that it would arrange extra surveillance in the villages in the coming period.
In the Den Bosch city council, 11 of the 13 parties condemned the violence in a joint statement. “We condemn the vandalism that took place in Engelen. Intimidating residents has no place in our democratic society,” the statement reads. The only two parties that didn’t sign it were far-right PVV and FvD.
