This afternoon there is a demonstration on Museumplein to draw attention to refugees on Lesvos, where a refugee camp was destroyed by a major fire on Tuesday. The demonstration is an initiative of Amsterdam students and is supported by various organizations.
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The demonstrators present keep their distance and most wear mouth masks. They carry signs with texts such as ‘The Netherlands shows your humanitarian side’ and ‘I am deeply ashamed, we will get them’, NH Nieuws reports. The atmosphere is pleasant and there are few police on the square.
Brand
Most of the Moria refugee camp burned down on Lesbos on Tuesday. About 13,000 refugees were left homeless. The Amsterdam students who initiated the demonstration are supported by organizations such as Volt Nederland, 500 Children Amsterdam and SOS Moria and the protest is supported by Refugee Work Netherlands, Refugee Foundation, Defense for Children, Committee Refugee Children Haarlem and DeGoedeZaak.
According to the organizers, the situation in the Greek refugee camps has been unsustainable for some time. On Facebook, they call the fire ‘the result of years of failing EU policy’ and believe that the government is doing too little. The organizations argue for the immediate care of at least 500 children in the Netherlands.
Taking in refugees
Last Thursday, State Secretary Ankie Broekers-Knol announced that the Netherlands is prepared to take in a hundred refugees – especially children – from Moria. This drew a lot of criticism. Left-wing parties did not agree that these hundred would be deducted from the five hundred refugees that the Netherlands would be obliged to accept next year anyway. The PVV believes that no refugees should be brought to the Netherlands at all.
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