Islamic groups ask for protection for mosques after multiple vandalisms, hate letters

Mosques in the Netherlands have recently been the targets of multiple incidents, including racist texts and swastikas painted on their walls, hate letters, and vandalism. Islamic advocacy groups warned that the Netherlands is becoming more unsafe for Muslims and asked the government for funding to protect Islamic places of worship, similar to the funding for protecting synagogues amid rising antisemitism, Nieuwsuur reports.

For years, mosques have faced occasional instances of vandalism and intimidation. The incidents aren’t centrally tracked, but both the Contact Body for Muslims and Government (CMO) and the Islamic Foundation Netherlands have noticed an increase in incidents in recent years.

According to CMO chairman Mushin Köktaş, this has to do with the hardening of the political climate. Politicians are more openly expressing hatred against Muslims, and that trickles down to society. “There are more than a million Muslims in the Netherlands. Every community has rotten apples. But they are blown out of proportion as if 1.2 million Muslims are all like that,” he told Nieuwsuur.

CMO is launching a hotline for vandalism and violence against mosques to get a better idea of the figures. Every incident has a major impact on the Muslim community, the organizations said.

Rotterdam already has a hotline for Muslim discrimination. Mayor Carola Schouten agrees with the Islamic organizations that the climate for Muslims is deteriorating. “We are seeing an increase in the number of reports. That indicates that there is a substantial problem,” she told Nieuwsuur.

Köktaş would like to see more action from the Cabinet against the rising Islamophobia. The government is already setting aside money for extra security at synagogues due to increased antisemitism. Köktaş would like the same treatment for mosques.

“I understand the government’s sensitivity regarding Jewish institutions. Everyone must be protected. That includes us. We want equal treatment, but we don’t see that.”

The Ministry of Justice and Security told Nieuwsuur that it has no plans to dedicate funding for protecting mosques. “The decision to provide additional security for institutions is always made based on the current threat information and risk assessment, and not on the identity of the institution,” a spokesperson said. "That principle applies equally to all religious communities. The responsibility for taking additional measures lies with the local authority."