Government agencies acted “improperly and inappropriately” during the crisis at the asylum registration center in Ter Apel in the summer of 2022. The government took aid goods offered away from asylum seekers and citizens who offered assistance were threatened with arrest. The National Ombudsman condemned the government authorities’ actions in a new report titled “Forbidden to provide assistance?”
The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) has launched an exploratory investigation into whether children are safe in the Dutch asylum chain. “We understand that this is a very complex problem, but that must not stand in the way of offering minimal safety to the most vulnerable group: children,” said OVV chairman Chris van Dam.