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Netherlands: Racist violence

01 May 1994

Two researchers at Leiden University have published a report on racist violence which shows that it is more widespread than previously thought and that many incidents are not recorded. They compiled incidents of racist and extreme rightwing violence based on media reports, police data, BVD data (Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst, the internal security service, which funded the research) and from the anti-fascist research group Fascisme Onderzoeks.

The study shows the number of incidents rising from 4 in 1988, to 29 in 1991, 189 in 1992 and 279 in 1993. There were 6 bombings and 40 bomb threats in 1992; 1 bombings and 26 bomb threats in 1993. The number of firebombings in 1992 and 1993 averaged 3 a month. The number of attacks on asylum centres, homes of immigrants and mosques rose from 116 in 1992 to 123 in 1993. Seventeen people were physically attacked by racists or extreme rightwing groups in 1992 and this rose to 58 in 1993. The study also noted an increasing tendency for these groups to direct their attacks against their political opponents, and while a significant number of those arrested were members of these groups many arrested were not formally aligned.

The authors conclude that the present hardening of the political climate on migration and minorities issues could contribute to the occurrence of extreme rightwing violence.

Extreem-rechts: aanhang geweld en onderzoek Frank Buijs and Jaap van Donselaar. Leiden LISWO. ISBN 9071042650.