The forecourt of the application center for asylum seekers at Ter Apel has been designated as a security risk area, reports the Westerwolde municipality, to which Ter Apel belongs.
The intention is to give the police more room to do their job, such as preventive frisking of people and stricter camera surveillance. It has been overcrowded near the center for many months.
Protecting women, children and staff
The measure is being taken in consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the police and the security region. Its purpose is to protect especially vulnerable women and children, as well as personnel working in the field. The last few weeks it has been very busy at the gate of the application center. In the night from Thursday to Friday, three hundred people had to sleep outside, the highest number to date.
Situation worsened rather than improved
The Groningen Security Region has made several requests for assistance, but the reception of asylum seekers in other parts of the country offers no solace. The situation at the registration center has recently deteriorated rather than improved, says a spokesperson for the security region. He calls the fact that the Red Cross recently closed a humanitarian service point in the application center because of the fights that had broken out.