Monthly Archives: March 2013

Asylum seekers protest at Dutch parliament during debate on asylum policy, 13/03/13

Today 13-03-13 there was a debate in the Dutch parliament about asylum policy.

Before the debate about 100 asylum seekers demonstrated outside the parliament, and around 150 attended the debate.

ChristenUnie MP Joël Voordewind, who stayed overnight in the Vluchtkerk last Saturday with colleagues from GroenLinks and SP, told parliament that the asylum seekers cannot be deported and will have to live on the streets when the Vluchtkerk closes at the end of March.

Fred Teeven, the Dutch Minister for Safety and Justice, argued that some of the asylum seekers can be deported. He said that they will only be given accommodation if they agree to co-operate with their own deportation.

After the debate, Teeven said it was ‘sad’ that the asylum seekers had demonstrated inside and outside the parliament.

Court demo for two No Border activists, Brussels, 20/03/13

On Wednesday 20th March people will gather at in front of the Palais de Justice in Brussels in solidarity with two No Border activists who are appealing agaionst convictions given to them last April.

The activists were arrested during the Brussels No Border camp (September-October 2010) and were charged with rebellion. In April 2012, in what the activists say was a politically-motivated trial, they were convicted to a one year and a six month suspended sentence respectively. They have therefore decided to appeal the verdict. The solidarity demonstration begins at 8.30am in front of the Paleis de Justice on Place Poelaert.

Solidarity demos in Amsterdam (04/03/13) and Utrecht (05/03/13)

In the last two days there have been two strong solidarity demos for migrants in the Netherlands.

Yesterday, Monday 4th March, residents of the Vluchtkerk took part in a solidarity demo outside KLM HQ near Amsterdam, to protest against the deportation of a man to Sudan this morning. Watch the video (in English/Dutch) here.

Earlier today around 80 asylum seekers and supporters took part in a solidarity demo in Utrecht for an Iraqi man who yesterday set himself on fire in Utrecht’s ‘asylum seeker centre’ (AZC).