Government to spend $38M to fight extremism

? The Dutch government will spend $38 million over the next four years to prevent both the growth of Islamic fundamentalism and right-wing nationalism, an official said Monday.

The emphasis will be on funding existing programs at the neighborhood and school levels for what the government sees as a “growing problem” of the radicalization of Dutch youth, said Interior Affairs Minister Guusje ter Horst.

The number of racist incidents in the Netherlands spiked sharply after the November 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a Muslim extremist, according to the Anne Frank Institute, which monitors hate crimes.

A cycle of retaliatory attacks between native Dutch and Moroccan immigrants ensued.