Dutch
police fire warning shots during riots over refugee centre
17 December 2015
Riot police fired
warning shots in Geldermalsen on Wednesday night after protests about
plans to build a refugee centre in the Gelderland town erupted into
violence. Police sealed off the town hall where the debate on the
plans was taking place with fencing, but protesters, said to number
about 100, pelted the building with bottles, bricks and fireworks.
Several windows were smashed. The meeting was abandoned on the advice
of the police. Some 15 minibuses carrying riot police had been
drafted in to deal with the trouble. There were at least 14 arrests
and two police officers were slightly injured in the clashes, the
Telegraaf reported. At one point explosives experts were brought in
to deal with a large firework which had not exploded. Police had
restored calm at around 22.30. Locals told reporters the
troublemakers were not from Geldermalsen itself. Frightened Mayor
Miranda de Vries said on Twitter: ‘And people say they are
frightened of asylum seekers. I am very very sad about this.’ The
town hall meeting had been called to discuss plans to build a refugee
centre for 1,500 people. Geldermalsen has a population of some
14,000. Junior justice minister Klaas Dijkhoff said in a reaction
that ‘this is not how we deal with each other in the Netherlands.’
‘This is unheard of,’ he said.
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