Willem Straat, the initiator of the distribution of tents to asylum seekers at the Ter Apel application center, is considering going to court because the municipality of Westerwolde removed the tents. The entrepreneur and his lawyer Jan Maarten Pol announced this today.
The two hundred toss tents, obtained through a crowdfunding campaign among local entrepreneurs, were distributed on Monday evening but removed again on Tuesday evening. This happened at the behest of the mayor of the municipality of Westerwolde, which includes Ter Apel. Earlier, Straat had already said that he found the taking of the tents ‘completely idiotic’.
His lawyer Pol would like to receive the motivation on paper from the municipality. “We think they invoke the municipal law, where they say they are afraid of disturbing public order. Or the General Local Ordinance (APV) with regard to wild camping. If it is the latter, then I want a judge sometimes hear about that, because what those people do there is of course anything but camping for fun.”
Whatever the reason, when removing the tents, the proportionality must always be considered, says Pol. “If you are talking about public order and safety, it must also be taken into account that people there can have to deal with rain and thunderstorms. That they have no roof over their heads is degrading.”
Straat wants Westerwolde to return the tents to the asylum seekers, even if this has to be enforced through the courts. “And if we have to make them fireproof with fire extinguishers, we will provide them with that,” he refers to the statement from the municipality, which pointed to fire safety and hygiene.
He and his lawyer hope that a lawsuit will not be necessary and that the tents will return after consultation with the municipality. “But that shouldn’t take long, because every day people sleep outside there.”