Editorial photo #13697794 Social Issue
Netherlands: Loosdrecht Protest Against Planned AZC
Protesters demonstrate outside the town hall in Loosdrecht, the Netherlands, on May 12, 2026, against plans to open an asylum seeker center for up to 110 residents. The building, currently vacant ahead of Wijdemeren's merger into Hilversum later this year, is intended to serve as a temporary emergency shelter. Earlier in the day, the first group of asylum seekers arrived in Loosdrecht, leading to tensions that escalated into unrest during the evening protest. Some protesters set fire to sections of the building's perimeter. (Photo by Georgios Kostomitsopoulos/NurPhoto)
