A civil servant with Enschede city council has been stabbed six times close to the area where a new temporary refugee centre has been planned, local newspaper Tubantia says on Monday.

Details of the attack are sketchy, but his car was found parked in the eastern outskirts of the city and is now being investigated by forensic experts.

The man’s life is not in danger, Tubantia says.

The city is holding a meeting for civil servants on Monday afternoon and officials have been told not to enter the area where the attack took place.

On Saturday six people were arrested during a protest march about the refugee centre. Several of them were arrested for Hitler salutes.

It is unclear whether there is a link with the refugee centre protests, Tubantia says.