In the early 2000s, the right-wing extremist group Blood and Honour set itself up in Winschoten and started to attract young people through meetings, festivals and concerts. Between 2005-7, there was an increase in neo-Nazi demonstrations, which led to threats, assaults and other problems. The town was asked by Forum, an institute for multicultural issues in the Netherlands, to take part in a pilot project on de-radicalisation. The aim was to counter further radicalisation and social isolation of young people and thus prevent and counter participation in and support for unacceptable social behaviour.