Villagers at centre of asylum row urge council to heal divide

A bitter dispute has erupted in the Noord-Brabant village of Engelen, where residents are accusing the local council of exacerbating the situation through poor communication. In April, the council announced plans to house 50 teenage asylum seekers, all under 18, in a former police station on Beverspijken. Opponents have staged protests, voiced concerns about women's safety, and accused the council of launching a hate campaign, while supporters claim they have faced a smear campaign, with swastikas and offensive words spray-painted on their homes.

At a council meeting on Monday, both sides appealed to the mayor, Jack Mikkers, to engage with villagers before the final decision is made next month. Roughly 100 people attended the meeting, with a side room set up for those unable to enter the public gallery.

Tamara Govers, who organized a march in May, urged residents to approach the issue personally, not officially, and without media presence. Astrid van den Broek, who supports the plan, called on councillors to halt threats and intimidation, citing her own experience of being put on a blacklist. She reported a man threatening her when she filmed protestors, to which she reported to security.

Eva Buijs, a resident, said the municipality had been slow to respond to the tense atmosphere in the village, adding that the shelter had "driven a wedge between friendships." Jack Burg, chair of the local campaign group Veilig Engelen, said better communication from the council could have prevented the situation from deteriorating.

He highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the impact of the refugee centre on the village's quality of life, stating that conditions and rules must be worked out. Burg emphasized the need for more robust plans to address these concerns.

The council has set strict conditions for the center, including a 10pm curfew and night-time security. Residents must vacate the property once they turn 18, likely moving to smaller groups in Den Bosch. The municipality also requires the refugee accommodation agency COA to provide equal numbers of girls and boys, though this may prove challenging, as five out of six underage asylum seekers are male.

Some villagers expressed reservations about the location of the center, citing noise levels recorded at 83 decibels at night, which is 18 decibels higher than the local environmental plan permits. Others questioned the council and COA's commitment to the temporary nature of the accommodation center, noting that permits for other locations have been extended upon request by the agency.