The asylum center in Sandvad, near Vejle, is the focal point of the conflict between the Danish Immigration Service and the Red Cross on one side, and the city's residents on the other.
The tensions stem from the authorities' deployment of 24-hour security following a dialogue meeting with local residents on November 12. The residents are unhappy because the center will house approximately 15 asylum seekers who may be suffering from severe mental health issues. According to the Red Cross website, the center is currently being used for asylum seekers in Jutland who have contracted COVID-19.
In a written response, the Deputy Director of the Danish Immigration Service, Greth Sandest Poulsen, said: “Unfortunately, there was a need to tighten security around the center in the current situation. This is a direct result of statements made by some citizens at the dialogue session on November 12, where citizens in the surrounding area made statements that raised concerns about the safety of Red Cross staff on site, future residents, and the building itself in Sandvad.”
Lars Lindholm, chairman of the Hovidkir local council, which includes Sandvad, said that while some residents had expressed concerns and said things, there was nothing threatening or anything of the sort. It was simply a reflection of what might happen if residents moved into the house and were put under pressure. Lindholm believes that hiring a security guard was an overreaction.
It is reported that the city's residents demonstrated to express their frustration and sense of insecurity. Southeast Jutland police were present in Sandefjord in connection with both the citizens' meetings and the demonstrations.
The presence and efforts of the Southeast Jutland Police in relation to the current situation in Sandefald are related to the safety and security of the center and its staff, the operation of the center, and the security of citizens as residents of an asylum center that is currently facing new residents. The Danish Immigration Service will continue the dialogue with the residents of the area to find a solution to the feeling of insecurity and lack of safety.
Source: Ritzau
