Violent clash between police and protesters in the Netherlands: Citizens do not want refugees in their vicinity

Clashes between police and protesters broke out in Heesch, a town in the eastern Netherlands, at the end of a gathering against the establishment of a migrant reception centre, reports the Patria news agency.  

The riot, similar to those seen in other Dutch towns and villages in recent weeks, occurred several hours after far-right party leader Geert Wilders said that immigrants should be kept locked up in centres to protect women from the kind of aggression they were subjected to on New Year's Eve in the German city of Cologne.

Around 1,000 people gathered in front of the town hall and protested against the establishment of a reception centre for 500 refugees for the next ten years, with dozens throwing eggs and pyrotechnic devices at the building.
Police intervened, according to the ANP agency, but no information on arrests or injuries has been released.

In Europe, faced with the largest refugee crisis since World War II, the Netherlands has taken in a record number, receiving 54,000 asylum applications by the end of November.

The refugee issue has divided society, but Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) is more popular than ever and leads in all polls, writes Index.