What is ‘Dossier: The Counter-Movement’?

The establishment of an asylum seekers‘ centre or emergency accommodation is increasingly causing unrest. Protests by ’anti-asylum centre activists‘ regularly get out of hand, as in Loosdrecht, where rioters attempted to set fire to a reception centre where asylum seekers were already living at the time. Local councillors face serious threats, and local councils are calling in security when the establishment of an asylum seekers’ centre is on the agenda. The umbrella organisation for Dutch local authorities, the VNG, speaks of ‘terror and intimidation’. This fear-mongering is not without consequences. It has become more difficult to find new accommodation centres, putting the implementation of the Distribution Act under pressure.

There is another way. Set against a vociferous group of opponents of asylum-seeker centres, which receives a great deal of media attention, is a growing movement of citizens and organisations committed to providing humane reception for refugees in the Netherlands. They devise initiatives to provide a more nuanced picture of refugees, organise projects that bring local residents into contact with asylum seekers, and facilitate dialogues that contribute to understanding and social cohesion.

Through the RFG Newsroom, we intend to investigate and map out this ‘counter-movement’ over the coming months. We are focusing on initiatives that aim to increase public support for the reception of asylum seekers. Which of these initiatives are the most successful? How do they operate, and can their approach be applied in other places too?

We collect data, go out on reporting assignments and interview concerned members of the public, civil servants, administrators and experts. As far as possible, we focus on the perspective of newcomers. What are their Solutions? We share our journey through written articles, photos and videos.

Why are we doing this? Because we believe it is important to change public perceptions of asylum seekers in the Netherlands. As journalists, we can play a part in this. Not by taking to the barricades ourselves or coming up with solutions, but by critically examining how that change can best be brought about.

Click here on behalf of the RFG Newsroom team