1/3 This banner shows that not everyone welcomes asylum seekers in Heeze (photo: Imke van de Laar)
The arrival of a hundred asylum seekers is causing unrest in Heeze. They will be accommodated in sports hall De Pompenmaker for three weeks. The temporary crisis emergency shelter is necessary, because there are not enough regular places. But some of the local residents are not happy about that at all.
It was clear that not everyone welcomes the asylum seekers in Heeze. A large banner was hung in front of the sports hall on Sunday morning with the text ‘Rather cows in the meadow than one more asylum seeker’.
From 3 August, one hundred asylum seekers will be accommodated here. Local residents received a letter in the mail with this announcement on Thursday evening. And that leads to outrage. The local residents wanted to be known in the decision. And not, like now, getting the announcement now that it has already been decided. Moreover, not everyone is waiting for 100 temporary, new neighbors.
“I am not happy with this at all, who guarantees our safety?”
Danny Heffels, owner of cafeteria Heeze, is not happy about it. His cafeteria is right next to the sports hall. “I immediately thought: this is going to be chaos. I am not happy with this at all, who guarantees our safety?”
Heffels fears problems. “Let’s state first that people who are really on the run should be taken care of. But you can’t just put them here. I’m afraid that people will be hanging around here day and night in front of and in my business. I hope there will be supervision .”
“I think the Netherlands is unworthy of that banner hanging here.”
More people in the area are concerned. But almost everyone agrees that putting up the banner is going too far. A passerby is visibly angry about it. “I think this is outrageous. I think it is unworthy of the Netherlands that something like this hangs here. I wonder if these people realize what kind of world we live in.” Another man adds: “There is no need for this, they only come for three weeks.”
Yet there are also people who do understand the emotions. “The proponents and the opponents are very fierce. We have not been informed either. When you suddenly hear that a hundred refugees are coming here, I understand that people wonder what is going on,” explains a boy.
A lady does have a statement. “Maybe there is resistance because there are problems in Budel. They may think that we get nasty people here too. But who says we are?”
The banner was removed on Sunday afternoon. The municipality will hold an information meeting for local residents on Monday evening.
ALSO READ:
Asylum crisis: also emergency shelter in Woensdrecht, Bergen op Zoom and Heeze-Leende
No sports hall but residential units: this is how the Oventje receives asylum seekers
‘Deadly tired asylum seekers got off the bus’, said mayor of Waalre