The media are outraged that African immigrant workers in the Netherlands are throwing bricks, burning cars and attacking police, according to The Guardian.
A video posted on the social media site Reddit shows a crowd of African immigrants attacking a local police officer, smashing up a patrol car, setting cars on fire and throwing pieces of glass at officers.
Police officers responded by opening fire and hitting the crowd with a concussion grenade.
Some counter-protests erupted but they were quickly dispersed.
The Independent is asking, “Can the Netherlands’ race relations problem ever be fixed, with too many people treated like traitors for having even the threat of deportation?”
Jan Alleson, mayor of Heest and an advisor to the Prime Minister Mark Rutte said police were dealing with “attackers and thugs” on Sunday and would not hesitate to open fire.
“It is not the legal solution – that is why the police are using the stun grenades, but it does not mean that we must hesitate to act in this way.”
The EU has introduced sanctions against countries that fail to comply with freedom of movement rules.
Last week, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban succeeded in protecting the country’s hardline border policy from EU pressure as member states urged them to reconsider.
More than 120 migrants have arrived in the country over the past two weeks and several were turned back to Serbia.
The EU approved a system last year to relocate asylum seekers around the bloc but there has been a shortage of places – especially in core member countries.
Britain blocked the plan, saying it would cost billions and encourage more migrants to come.