Faber’s “go home” sign would be bullying refugees, says BBB boss

A plan by migration minister Marjolein Faber to put a sign at refugee centres stating “we are working here to send you back” would be “bullying refugees”, according to the leader of coalition partner BBB.

Faber told reporters on Thursday that she had been inspired to erect the signs by her visit to Denmark where similar signs are in use. She later admitted that the signs did not exist in Denmark but that she wanted to press ahead with the idea anyway.

Faber, a minister on behalf of the far right PVV, said the signs would send out a clear signal. “It is expectation management,” she said. Asked if this was government policy, Faber told RTL that “I am policy”.

Prime minister Dick Schoof told reporters on Friday that it was up to Faber to draw up a proper proposal for the signs and declined to be drawn on his support for the idea.

But now BBB founder Caroline van der Plas has said she does not back the plan. “Why would you want to do that?” she said. “What you are effectively doing is saying ‘ha ha, you have to go back’.”

Van de Plas said she would make it clear to PVV leader Geert Wilders that she thinks the idea is bullying. “I have said many times that you don’t have to do everything you are allowed to do,” she told the NRC.

“And I really don’t see why you would do this. Is it outward show of power? A sort of ‘Pay attention!’?” Asked if she meant a display of power by the PVV, Van der Plas said: “A display of power by a minister, and in this case a PVV minister.”

The Dutch right-wing government has pledged to introduce the “toughest asylum regime ever” and Faber is also determined to press ahead with plans to declare an “asylum emergency”.

She also wants to remove the automatic right to permanent residency for refugees who have lived in the Netherlands for five years and to bring in tougher rules for family reunions.