Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Strong Cities Network

BACKGROUND

Rotterdam has been at the forefront of countering violent extremism with its comprehensive anti-radicalisation strategy and efforts to cooperate with cities all over the world facing similar challenges. An estimated 315 Dutch citizens have travelled to Syria and Iraq. Of these, approximately 90 have died and 60 have returned back to the Netherlands. In recent years, the number of reported cases of Islamist radicalisation in Rotterdam has increased steadily according to both the police and the Radicalisation Contact and Advisory Point (MAR).

At this moment, in 2019, the Radicalisation Contact and Advisory Point (MAR) has 70 active cases, compared to 60 in 2015 and 20 in 2013. Though the number of cases in Rotterdam is still relatively low when compared to some other cities in the country and may be explained in part by increased awareness levels, the increase is significant and the nature of the reports received has become more complex. Next to the approach on preventing radicalisation, Rotterdam has sought to pay close attention to social tensions, in order to prevent international conflicts from affecting local communities.

One of the founding members of the Strong Cities Network, Rotterdam has been a member of the SCN International Steering Committee since the SCN launch in September 2015, and has made an active contribution to network activities and best practice sharing.

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

The Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) is responsible for analysing the national and international terrorist threat against the Netherlands. The NCTV issues threat assessments reports four times a year, which form the basis of the Dutch national counterterrorism strategy. The Dutch National Counterterrorism Strategy 2016-2020 outlines the broader counter terrorism strategy of the Netherlands for the current period. It identifies 5 “intervention areas”: acquire information; prevent; defend; prepare; and prosecute. For each of these areas, multi-agency structures are in place to ensure cooperation between different partners and government levels, including local governments and municipalities.

The Dutch government has been monitoring jihadist extremism for over a decade, issuing regular reports on the development of jihadism in the Netherlands. The conflict in Syria and Iraq sparked an all-time high in jihadist activity and organisations and led to the departure of Dutch foreign terrorist fighters. The Dutch government responded by issuing The Netherlands’ comprehensive action programme to combat jihadism (in Dutch; read a summary in English here) in 2014. The programme outlines many detailed measures to reduce the number of foreign terrorist fighters and prevent radicalisation, tackling extremist content online, and ensuring communication and cooperation at the local level with NGOs and religious groups. The measures have been implemented gradually and the progress of the action programme is regularly evaluated by the government. These evaluation reports are available on the website of the NCTV (in Dutch only).

In addition, the NCTV has issued several guidebooks, advising municipalities, companies and schools (in Dutch only) on how to deal with radicalisation and terrorism.

LOCAL OVERVIEW

The [email protected] is the overall security strategy of the City of Rotterdam, aimed at creating a safe city with reduced crime levels. For the most vulnerable areas, the city has appointed ‘city marines’ as part of the [email protected] strategy. These are local on-the-ground city workers that monitor safety, develop new security measures where necessary and engage with the local community to do so. The [email protected] also encompasses crime that undermines society, polarisation and social unrest, radicalisation, extremism and terrorism, high impact crimes and cyber-resilience.

In addition to [email protected] strategy, the municipality has developed and implemented a new anti-radicalisation approach ‘Rotterdam approach to radicalisation, extremism en polarisation 2018- 2022’. This approach pays attention to various forms of extremism, such as right/ left-wing, animal rights and violent jihadism. Furthermore, we try to counteract growing polarisation with this approach. Within this approach, we distinguish four courses of action:

Depolarisation and tension reduction

Polarisation, in the sense of opposing viewpoints, does indeed belong in an open, democratic society. We will continue to invest in the network of key individuals, so that we can identify tension hotspots in time. We aim to rebuild relationships and to invest in a new, less polarised situation. In doing so, we support key individuals and communities who are de-escalating the necessary conversations and steering them toward the right path.
Bolstering Resilience against Radicalisation

Radicalisation, (right-wing) extremism and polarisation are structural phenomena that are not readily eliminated or combated. The solution lies in fundamentally strengthening the resilience of the wider society and the different groups against radical ideologies and extremist excesses before they take root. Promoting social cohesion, encouraging democratic citizenship, encouraging migrants to participate in the labour market and tackling discrimination are all important building blocks in strengthening resilience. The building blocks are embedded by various municipal departments and policy areas, such as Education, Citizenship and Youth Services. Within this programme, we focus primarily on group-oriented activities in the field of prevention that promote the resilience of vulnerable groups of people in Rotterdam. We want to make sure that they are less susceptible to radical messages, extreme ideologies and ‘us/them ways of thinking’. We work on this in the school and home environment as well as the society at large.
Promoting expertise

In order to increase the expertise of professionals and volunteers about (right-wing) extremism and polarisation, we continue to invest in informative meetings, training sessions and knowledge carousels.
Disengagement and deradicalisation

Depending on the severity and the phase of the radicalisation process, a person-oriented approach is initiated either solely by the municipality or in consultation with relevant partners from the Rotterdam Rijnmond Safety House. This approach can target individuals who have been radicalised by different extremist ideologies. How much someone can actually deradicalise is always difficult to determine. The aim, therefore, is to prevent further radicalisation and to stop radical behaviour altogether (disengagement)

KEY INITIATIVES

City Marines

For the most vulnerable areas, the city has appointed ‘city marines’ as part of the #Safe010 strategy. City marines are local on-the-ground city workers engaging with the local community to monitor the most pressing security challenges and to address perceptions of insecurity. They are focused on getting quick and practical results and liaising with the local community, the City Council and all city services needed to address individual problems. The results are clear, delivering cleaner streets, reduced crime levels, lower levels of drug abuse, and an overall increased feeling of safety. In this way, the ‘city marines’ fulfil an important role in building a more open, trusting and beneficial relationship between communities and local police. Read more about the City Marines project on the website of the City of Rotterdam here (in Dutch only).

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The Radicalisation Contact and Advisory Point

The Radicalisation Contact and Advisory Point (Meld- en Adviespunt Radicalisering, MAR) is a central contact point for radicalisation concerns that everyone can contact, either to ask general questions, or to discuss specific cases if signals of radicalisation are detected. The MAR also seeks to support professionals that come across radicalisation issues in their field of work, such as teachers, by giving them tailored advice and help. MAR experts analyse each case on an individual basis and decide if intervention is needed and in what form. The MAR consultation team includes metal health services and social workers, and refers cases to external help when needed. The MAR can also be contacted anonymously. Additionally, MAR organises training sessions for professionals to help them recognize the signals of radicalisation. The City of Rotterdam is raising awareness across the city to ensure the public know about this service. Read more about the MAR here (in Dutch only).

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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Community outreach and social work

Community outreach work is an integral component of Rotterdam’s approach to preventing extremism. The ‘city marines’ approach is a key initiative, providing local on-the-ground city workers that monitor safety in the most vulnerable areas, formulate new safety measures and engage with the local community (see “Key Initiatives”).

The city partners with community organisations, neighbourhood councils and volunteers in their outreach strategy, and a wide range of additional activities, including dialogue sessions with mosques and other civil and religious institutions, help to reinforce local resilience to extremism and radicalisation.

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Police and community trust building

Although policing and justice policy is determined primarily at the national level, local police forces and the Public Prosecutor are important partners in Rotterdam’s approach. The #Safe010 program, for example, is partly intended to build trust between communities and all municipal agencies, including the police. The programme takes into account both the actual crime rates and perceptions of insecurity that citizens experience and then takes measures to increase safety. The ‘city marines’ also fulfil an important role in supporting this engagement and building a more open, trusting and beneficial relationship between communities and local police.

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Education

The third area of core activity within Rotterdam’s anti-radicalisation approach involves extensive work with the local education sector, strengthening capacity to identify signs of radicalisation and vulnerability and training teachers and educators on how to approach these issues in a sensitive and effective way.

The city also promotes school meetings aimed at increasing the resistance of young people to radicalisation, dealing with conspiracy theories and stressing the importance of freedom of expression. Schools are the primary locations for discussing such topics with young people.

Demonstrating the importance of engagement with the education sector in developing initiatives to engage students and young people, Rotterdam’s official strategy document on the anti-radicalisation approach specifically makes note of a French language play in the Belgian schools of young people who have left for Syria and become foreign terrorist fighters. In 2016, the play “Jihad” (in Dutch only) was translated to Dutch and is also touring the Netherlands.

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Local Strategic Communications

Mayor Aboutaleb has been a vocal communicator on issues surrounding community relations and radicalisation, and been proactive in communication with communities in the wake of incidents and attacks. Indicative of the importance placed on post-incident communications responses and open dialogue, Rotterdam’s anti-radicalisation approach states:

“Rotterdam has a longstanding tradition of openly discussing controversial subjects. We do not avoid subjects but open them up for discussion instead. The five ‘WE’ meetings held after the attacks in Paris are a good example of this. Rotterdam citizens were given the opportunity to share their feelings regarding the attacks with the city council. Hundreds of people from Rotterdam with different backgrounds spoke openly about issues such as freedom of expression, radicalisation, extremism, discrimination and integration.” (Anti-Radicalisation Approach, p. 7.)

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Prisons and probation

There is a penitentiary facility in Rotterdam called “De Schie” that holds a section for inmates that are sentenced for Terrorism. De Schie is developing a strategy tailor-made for cases involving radicalisation, with involvement from a national team as well. The city of Rotterdam is also involved: the cases are discussed in the Safety House and the city’s responsibility is to deliver care to the individuals or his or her family back home to achieve disengagement.

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BACKGROUND

NATIONAL OVERVIEW

LOCAL OVERVIEW

Depolarisation and tension reduction

Bolstering Resilience against Radicalisation

Promoting expertise

Disengagement and deradicalisation

Key Information

KEY INITIATIVES

City Marines

The Radicalisation Contact and Advisory Point

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Community outreach and social work

Police and community trust building

Education

Local Strategic Communications

Prisons and probation

SCN WORKING GROUPS

'TAGS'

LOCAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

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