Dutch court backs council on asylum shelter amid violent protests and overcrowding

A Dutch court has upheld a local council's decision to keep open a temporary shelter housing 70 asylum seekers, DutchNews reported, after the site became the focus of violent protests lasting several weeks.

The ruling allows the refuge to continue operating despite community opposition. DutchNews reported that the decision came against a backdrop of worsening overcrowding in the Netherlands' asylum system.

No further details about the location of the shelter or the nature of the legal challenge were provided in the report. The Dutch government has faced sustained pressure over asylum housing capacity as arrival numbers strain existing infrastructure.