Government dealt ‘inappropriately’ with people who helped people sleeping outside Ter Apel | Asylum

In the report Forbidden to provide assistance? published by the ombudsman on Thursday, looks back on the summer of 2022. Hundreds of people had to sleep in the grass in front of the registration center in Ter Apel for nights because there was insufficient shelter space. A very unsafe and undesirable situation. Not only for the asylum seekers, but also for the employees of the asylum seekers’ center and the residents of the Groningen village.

Citizens and organizations that wanted to help were turned away with the message that they were doing something illegal. The items they wanted to help with, such as tents, ponchos or a cup of hot tea, would cause unsafe situations. For example, asylum seekers could hide dangerous items in a tent.

If the citizens and organizations continued to distribute the items, they would be arrested. The tents were even seized by the Public Prosecution Service.

“The government can be expected to think along and work with citizens on a solution, instead of punishing citizens who provide help,” says National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen now. He conducted discussions with all parties involved for his research.

The municipality of Westerwolde, which includes Ter Apel, and the judiciary subsequently announced that they were not happy with how things were done. There was an emergency, but by refusing all help and not offering alternatives, there was not enough attention for the human side, they also concluded.

“We were in a crisis situation where public order and safety were at stake,” the municipality said in a response to the report. In that case, it is her responsibility to ensure safety.

“We thought for good reasons that we had to intervene at the time, and that is what happened. We agree with the findings that communication with the organizations concerned could be improved. If the situation arises again, we will do this better.”

Although everything is being done to prevent people from having to sleep outside the registration center in Ter Apel, it is not unlikely that the situation that occurred in the summer of 2022 will repeat itself.

Van Zutphen also warns about the current situation in asylum reception. The ombudsman thus joins recent statements from, among others, the Red Cross and the Dutch Safety Board. There are too few shelter places, while temporary locations are closing their doors and many municipalities are not prepared to open a shelter location.

“Everyone I speak to wants to prevent a repeat of the situation of two years ago in Ter Apel,” says Van Zutphen. “But this is only possible if all municipalities in the Netherlands now jointly take up the challenge, stand side by side and take their responsibility in the reception of asylum seekers.”