Anti-migration protests in Netherlands escalate into violent clashes with police
Illustrative photo: clash between protesters and police in the Netherlands (Getty Images)
In The Hague, about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam, several thousand people took to the streets to protest against the government’s migration policy and the housing crisis. The demonstrations escalated into large-scale unrest, according to Reuters.
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, thousands of people took to the streets of The Hague to protest against the Netherlands’ migration policy.
These protests are reported to be among the largest in the country in recent years, highlighting growing tensions in society over the government’s approach to migration and the shortage of affordable housing.
The demonstration was organized by far-right activists demanding tighter controls on incoming asylum seekers.
Property damage and road blockades
According to local authorities, protesters set a police car on fire and briefly blocked a highway near the protest site.
In the city center, windows were smashed at the office of the center-left D66 party, known for supporting higher refugee intake.
D66 leader Rob Jetten wrote on social platform X about significant damage, stressing: "We will never allow extremist rioters to take away our beautiful country."
Onze D66-vlag wappert trots. En laat één ding duidelijk zijn: dat zal hij blijven doen. Want wij weten: de meeste Nederlanders hebben helemaal níets met de schreeuwers en relschoppers die vandaag de boventoon voerden. De positieve krachten zijn in de meerderheid. Wij zijn in de… pic.twitter.com/IIyWNEUNiI
— Rob Jetten (@RobJetten) September 20, 2025
Clashes with police and arrests
Police were forced to deploy water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd after protesters began throwing stones and bottles at officers.
Thirty people were arrested, and two police officers were injured. Local authorities said further detentions are possible after reviewing surveillance footage.
Political context
Anti-migration populist Geert Wilders, who is leading in pre-election polls, had been invited to the demonstration but did not attend. He condemned the violence against police, calling the actions of aggressive participants “absolutely unacceptable” and describing those responsible as "idiots."
The Netherlands is preparing to change its residency rules for male refugees from Ukraine, particularly regarding their right to housing.
The country currently has more than 97,000 places in municipal shelters, almost all of which are occupied. Around 300 Ukrainians—mostly women and children—arrive in the Netherlands each week, though men seeking work are increasingly among the newcomers.
Earlier, it was reported that the European Union has seen rising demand for asylum among Ukrainians: in the first half of 2025, applications increased by nearly one-third, with France receiving the largest number.
