Two far-right MPs were among some 200 people demonstrating against plans to open a temporary refugee centre in Loosdrecht’s old town hall on Wednesday night.

Loosdrecht, a waterfront village of some 8,600 near Hilversum, has been the centre of several violent anti-refugee demonstrations in recent days. One person, not local, has been jailed for their role in vandalising the building and police say they expect to make more arrests.

There were no arrests during Wednesday evening’s march, which ended at the town hall. The first refugees are now due to arrive next week and their number has been cut from 110 to 70 following the protests.

Far-right MP Gidi Markuszower, who split from Geert Wilders’ PVV earlier this year, gave a short speech in which he said that refugees should “go back to their own country”.

He has also accused the mayor, Mark Verheijen, of being undemocratic.

Verheijen, meanwhile, has described the rioters as “undermining our free society” and said that many people taking part in the protests are not local and are “fighting out the national asylum discussion” in Loosdrecht.

Others have also warned that the anti-refugee protests are being hijacked by the organised far right. Jelle Postma who has had a 25-year career in the Dutch security services and the UN has called on national politicians to show restraint.

“The biggest risk is that we start accepting extremist language and activities,” he told television current affairs show Buitenhof on Sunday. “Some political parties in The Hague are normalising this behaviour. But it is not normal.”

Meanwhile, there was also trouble at a planned location for young refugees near Den Bosch on Wednesday evening, with protesters blocking the A59 highway for 30 minutes.

Around 100 demonstrators had gathered at the turn off to Waalwijk, carrying banners and blazing torches before the police intervened, local broadcaster Omroep Brabant reported.

The COA refugee settlement agency plans to set up a small-scale complex for 50 teenage refugees in the Netherlands without family on an industrial estate close to the motorway.

Two people were arrested during the Den Bosch protests.