So vicious has the debate over the increasing number of refugees arriving in the Netherlands become – with one politician being sent a bullet in the post – that King Willem-Alexander, who is on a trip to China, has been forced to issue an unprecedented call for calm.
The king took time out from his schedule on Wednesday to support a joint appeal by the leaders of the major political parties for an end to the growing campaign of threats and intimidation, telling reporters: “In the Netherlands we talk things through – we don’t fight them out.”
However, with the total number of immigrants arriving in the Netherlands this year expected to top 60,000, King Willem-Alexander was forced to acknowledge: “I can understand the fears that people have . . . but if you switch to threats and intimidation, you damage the very values the Netherlands stands for.”
Those values have certainly been under threat, with politicians in favour of accepting the refugees coming under particular pressure, and in some cases being offered police protection.
The mayor of the village of Rijssen-Holten has received death threats for planning to settle 200 people. In Rijswijk, there have been threats against councillors and their families. In Aalburg, in the south of the country, there have been threats to burn down the town hall if 50 refugees are taken in. In Steenbergen, those for and against a refugee centre confronted each other and scuffled in the street.
Far-right groups have been disrupting meetings being held around the country to discuss the location of temporary refugee centres. Two cars belonging to a GreenLeft councillor were set on fire. Rotterdam's mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, faced shouts of "shut your gob" and "resign" when he announced plans to settle 600 refugees in the city.
Then on Tuesday, Halbe Zijlstra, parliamentary leader of prime minister Mark Rutte's Liberals, revealed that he had received a bullet in the post because he had taken the opposite position, arguing that in the current climate the government should reduce its funding for refugees. In response, Mr Rutte warned troublemakers: "You can get angry, but violence or threats are not on. That boundary must never be crossed."
Wednesday's warning by the king came as two political polls showed anti-refugee sentiment growing. The first, by broadcaster, NOS, showed support for Geert Wilders and his anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-EU Freedom Party at an all-time high, with the real possibility that it could become the largest party in the Netherlands if an election were held tomorrow.
Mr Wilders said he “would want nothing more” than to become prime minister if the polls were reflected in the next election.
A second poll, this time by French pollsters IFOP, found 92 per cent of Dutch people believe refugees arriving in the Netherlands should be sent home again as quickly as possible – with 77 per cent saying they would under no circumstances give money to help them.
