Today, an extreme right-wing organization called Identitair Verzet has taken possession of a house in Rudolf Dieselstraat, simply to provoke. They have announced their intent to do so a few days ago on their website. We are very startled by this and find it completely unacceptable. After all, we are looking for housing and a way to survive, while this group is clearly looking for conflict.
Two weeks ago our banner on the church at the James Wattstraat was set on fire by Peter van Vliet, a member of Identitair Verzet. The next morning Van Vliet came to the Rudolf Dieselstraat to try to burn a banner here again. We called the police to deal with the situation, but they chose not to arrest Van Vliet. Despite evidence that he set the banner on fire, and also while the police caught him on the roof of our office, they wanted to “not let the situation escalate,” and let the arsonist walk away.
Subsequently, a week later, Identitair Verzet returned to the James Wattstraat with a group of people. They climbed on the roof of the church and shouted racist and hateful slogans. Here too the police came down, and here too they did not take any action. They were escorted from the roof and then sent away.
That same weekend, two other extreme right-wing gangs visited the neighborhood. Voorpost, who say they “did a pre-survey”, and Pegida. The latter was allowed to walk through the neighborhood under police escort and was in turn also left alone by the police.
Finally, this morning a house was squatted by people who claim that squatting is illegal. We were alert tonight and did not hear any sound. Therefore, the suspicion is strong that Identitair Verzet obtained a key through their “sympathizer at the municipality” or through Ymere. They have planned and implemented this squatting action under the watchful eye of both the municipality and Ymere.
We want to emphasize that this neighborhood should not be a political war-arena and that it has become so because of the media and politics. We find the lack of decisiveness of the police and municipality to be shocking. We hereby repeat that we did not come to the Netherlands, to Amsterdam, or to the Rudolf Dieselstraat to cause problems. It may be clear by now why we are here. But these extreme (-ly dangerous) right wing groups are indeed out to cause problems. Against us and against the local residents who are absolutely not waiting for the arrival of these new Nazis.
We Are Here
http://wijzijnhier.org/
