Serious unrest has broken out again at a notorious asylum center in Utrecht, the Netherlands, where a group of unaccompanied minors was responsible for hundreds of reported incidents last year.
Police were called to the Soestdijk Palace estate in Baarn last weekend to break up fights, and two young residents were arrested. The Dutch central asylum agency (COA), however, maintains that additional security is unnecessary and says the shelter has been calmer since several disruptive residents were transferred last summer.
De Gooi-en Eemlander reported how, with only around 90 asylum seekers in Baarn last year, the center recorded 309 incidents in 2024. Roughly 100 cases involved physical or verbal violence. The location, which mainly houses unaccompanied minors, has been under scrutiny since revelations that a small group of teenage residents had turned the shelter into a “breeding ground” of intimidation, threats, coercion, and organized theft.
The situation escalated again in August, after an NRC report revealed that vulnerable minors were being beaten, threatened, and forced to shoplift for older boys who dominated the shelter. According to the Dutch newspaper, those who refused were assaulted in the woods behind Soestdijk Palace. Staff had known about the exploitation for more than a year, but neither the municipality nor the police had been told.
The municipality accused the COA of withholding essential information and described itself as having been “cheated” by the agency’s lack of reporting. Several council members even argued that the COA’s permit should be revoked. In September, Baarn issued a formal notice of default and warned that continued non-compliance could lead to closure of the site. A strongly worded letter has since been drafted and sent to both the COA and the ministry.
Alderman Steven de Vries says the COA has been more communicative since the scandal broke, and stresses that the shelter is not facing imminent shutdown. According to him, the agency can be held accountable for failing to meet its obligations, but “not for every incident.” He maintains that the COA is now following agreements more reliably.
Before last week’s incidents, the COA insisted that calm had largely returned since several “troublemakers” were removed from the center earlier this year. The organization confirmed that two disturbances took place last weekend but declined to comment on whether tensions between Syrian and Eritrean residents were involved. Police were called to both incidents, and two young men were briefly detained.
NRC’s earlier reporting described a 17-year-old Syrian who allegedly led the intimidation network, demanding stolen goods from other minors and ordering them to steal in nearby cities. He has since received a residence permit and moved to another location.
Counselors, however, say he continues to influence minors connected to Baarn. None of the victims filed reports with police, fearing retaliation.
Police have admitted they were unaware of the extent of the criminal exploitation until recently. “Unfortunately, the rumors didn’t reach us sooner,” a spokesperson said. Officers are now conducting further investigations with municipal and COA staff.
The post Notorious Dutch Asylum Center Catering for 90 Minors Logged 309 Incidents in a Year appeared first on American Renaissance.
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