Report Finds Sharp Rise in Violence Targeting Mosques in the Netherlands
A new report from the mosque network shows that 369 cases were recorded between 2015 and 2025, up from 192 in the previous ten-year period. The research lists recent episodes in The Hague, Waalwijk and Emmeloord, NL Times reported on Friday.
Earlier this month in Emmeloord, mosque staff found a bag containing torn pages of the Quran. The local imam also reported receiving threatening calls. The report notes that a dead animal had been left near the building shortly before the discovery.
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K9 said the incidents it documents have grown more intense. The organization stated that earlier cases were often limited to verbal hostility.
It added that the most recent reports include dead animals left at sites, threatening messages and acts of physical aggression.
K9 said: “Years ago, the incidents were often verbal abuse… Now there is increasingly extreme intimidation, including dead animals, threatening letters, and physical violence. From assaults and arson to stones thrown through windows and even Molotov cocktails thrown at mosques.”
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Muslims form a small minority in the Netherlands, making up roughly 5% of the population.
While the country has long-standing protections for religious freedom, mosque associations have for years reported concerns about harassment, vandalism and the impact of political rhetoric on public attitudes.
Source: Agencies
