Month: July 2026
The organizations announced the decision after a series of violent incidents, including multiple stabbings in recent days, robberies, and escalating aggression around the overcrowded reception center for asylum seekers.
According to the Dutch Council for Refugees, asylum seekers waiting outside because the facility is full have been repeatedly robbed of essential belongings, including passports and laptops needed for their asylum applications. The organization said the site has become increasingly unsafe due to theft, violence, and insufficient security.
Its chairman, Frank Candel, described a “permanently unsafe” atmosphere, noting that just a day earlier a man had been seen striking people with a stick near the entrance. He said many of the violent incidents involve people suffering from mental health problems, drug use, or individuals coming to the site specifically to steal.
Despite the withdrawal of the Red Cross and the Dutch Council for Refugees, migrant aid group MiGreat says it will remain at the site to distribute tents, sleeping bags, and emergency supplies, warning that conditions could deteriorate further as temperatures rise.
