DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

10 July 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Politics
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Anti-Muslim abuse, attacks more common than thought: update

May 25, 2016
Muslim girls on the beach at Zandvoort. Photo Bert Spiertz / HH
Muslim girls on the beach at Zandvoort. Photo Bert Spiertz / HH

The amount of violence and threats made against Muslims in the Netherlands is far higher than official figures would indicate, according to a new report published on Wednesday.

The research was carried out by the Spior foundation which counts over 60 Muslim organisations in Rotterdam and its surrounding towns among its supporters. In total, the organisation received 231 reports of discrimination and violence in 2015 and the first three months of 2016.

The figures would indicate that discrimination is more widespread than thought. For example, the Radar anti-discrimination platform received reports of 240 anti-islamic incidents throughout the entire country last year, of which just 44 were made in the Rotterdam region. Rotterdam police received just 41 reports over the same period.

‘The [Spior] research is not meant to be a representative sample,’ said professor Han Entzinger, who supervised the project. ‘We thought it important that people who would not normally report discrimination were encouraged to do so.’

In total 174 reports had enough supporting evidence to be verified. Half of them covered verbal abuse in the street, often directed at women wearing headscarves. One in five covered discrimination at work or in education and 14% actual physical violence.

Women

Spior director Marianne Vorthoren said the report is not about religious criticism. ‘It is about protecting people from discrimination and exclusion,’ she said in a statement. ‘Everyone in our society has the right to protection, whatever their social or religious background.’

Four in 10 of the incidents took place in a shop or public space. Seven in 10 of the reports were made to Spior by women and in six out of 10 cases, the perpetrator was male.

The survey also looked at the experiences of 28 Muslim organisations and institutions in the region. Of them, 60% said they were confronted with incidents such as vandalism and threats every quarter.

Mayor

Rotterdam’s mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said in a reaction that racism and discrimination are like concrete rot. ‘You don’t notice it until the balcony falls off and that is extremely dangerous,’ he said.

‘The debate about the role of Muslims and Islam in relation to terrorism has become a licence to swear and make discriminatory comments,’ he said. ‘No incidents a year is the only acceptable result.’

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Farmers, local councils work together on new nitrogen plan
Amsterdam traffic faces "extreme disruption" this weekend
European rights court finds Russia responsible for MH17
England 4-0 Netherlands: Leeuwinnen given masterclass by Wiegman
Cricket: O’Dowd’s 92 and bowlers set up dominant Dutch win
NewsHomeEconomyPoliticsArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now