Imam relieved after lack of riots on Plein ’40-’45: “Talking helps, action must be taken”

The mobile unit intervened on Monday night after a group of dozens of young people showed up for it temptation took care A tram was set on fire with fireworks and a registered bus was pelted with stones. A passing cyclist was also attacked by someone who was arrested by the police. Three suspects were arrested.

The fear was that it would become gloomy again on and around the square on Tuesday night. Tuesday during the day warning the police for a possible repeat of the night before. The GVB left this as a warning there are no more buses and trams in Osdorp, Geuzenveld and Slotervaart.

Talk or act?

But 24 hours after the riots, only a higher than average number of police officers indicate that there had been a riot before. They don’t need to act and mostly just talk to youth workers and neighborhood imam Mohamed El Fakiri.

As an imam, El Fakiri went to the streets to talk to various young people in the community. “There was a large group of young people at Osdorpplein. They are angry about what has happened recently,” says El Fakiri.

Mayor Halsema called the events on Tuesday afternoon ‘a great shame’. The neighborhood also reacts with disappointment, but some residents also say they understand the anger they believe is behind it. Many believe that the violent events that took place in the city center last week are too one-sided.

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In particular, an incident at the demonstration on Dam Square, in which a woman was reportedly injured in the head when riot police intervened, would have angered many young Islamic people from Nieuw-West, El Fakiri continues. But on Tuesday afternoon, Halsema said the head injury was caused by a fall, not police violence.

“But after we talked to them, they went home,” the imam says on Tuesday afternoon. “We know from experience that this works, which was also the case with the riots at the Football World Cup.”

El Fakiri had not expected that things would get out of hand again on the square at the beginning of this week. “If we had known in advance, we would have dealt with it. This surprised everyone. Myself, but also parents and the older youth. People did not see it coming.”

Last night the so-called neighborhood fathers and neighborhood imams took to the streets in an attempt to prevent things from getting out of hand again. “I’m in an app group with different groups. Then we agreed to go out on the streets and be there. Walk through the neighborhood and talk to the youth.”

Warning

“Your father, mother, nephew, they could all be on that tram,” said El Fakiri. “It shouldn’t even matter. There are people.”

“They have to understand that their presence is not good. Most of these boys are usually ‘positive’, but there are a few who destroy everything. And they bring boys of 10 or 12 with them .”

“We have also warned: now the police have their hands full with you, but soon they will have time to examine the images. And if they see you, they will call you. If you get a good job as a city later or a ministry wants, you will not succeed.”

Calm

Around 9pm in the evening, El Fakiri decides that the chat sessions may have worked. He has not been gloomy for a moment. “The young people love the imams and the mosque. Their parents go there too.”

“Often they have recognized us as imams since they were five, from Arabic studies and Koran lessons. When we talk to them, they are ashamed and go home immediately. And besides: they respect each other. They know we will come for them, not against them.”

“But we are also angry with them,” El Fakiri emphasizes. “Talking is important, but action must also be taken. The guys who did something wrong have to be dealt with.”

Previous riots

Things have gotten out of hand more often in Nieuw-West in recent years. El Fakiri himself refers to the curfew riots in 2021, or the riots that started almost two years later when they were celebrating the victories of the Moroccan football team. In the summer of 2022, there were also days of unrest at the fair in Osdorp, when young people from the area confronted the police several times.

And now young people from Nieuw-West are again negative in the news. “That hurts,” said El Fakiri, “but we will continue. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will go back to the streets. To look, help and talk again. We have to to be positive and above all not to exaggerate.”

Because according to an imam, talking is still the best way to prevent things from happening again in the future. “Parents have a role in this, but also the town, schools, experts and the community. They all need help. In the end, we all want things to be calm again in the town .”