Muslims launch hotline to report attacks on Dutch mosques

The Muslim liaison organization CMO has established a nationwide hotline for reporting attacks on Dutch mosques, as concerns grow that many incidents are not being disclosed. Police have acknowledged that discrimination is underreported in the Netherlands, and community leaders are hoping this hotline will motivate victims to come forward with their experiences.

Muhsin Köktas, the chair of the CMO, expressed confidence that the online platform, set to launch on September 20, will make reporting incidents easier for the community. Last year, 414 cases of discrimination against Muslims were reported to the police, with 20 incidents originating from mosques; however, Köktas noted that many crimes go unreported due to a lack of visible consequences or insufficient follow-up after reporting.

A police spokesperson confirmed the force's awareness of the low reporting rate, emphasizing the importance of victims coming forward. The spokesperson stated, “[The hotline] can help people who experience discrimination to give their account, but we encourage these people to come to us as well. We can only take action, get a picture of problems in society and respond to them if we know what is going on.”

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