In a repeat of scenes seen in several Dutch towns and villages since late last year amid growing tensions over record numbers of migrants, police intervened to disperse about 1,000 people who rallied in central Heesch yesterday.
It was not immediately clear from police how many people had been arrested and whether anyone was injured.
The riot came only hours after populist far-right politician Geert Wilders called for Islamic male refugees to be kept locked up in asylum centres, saying such a move was needed to protect Dutch women after the New Year's Eve assaults in Cologne, Germany.
But the atmosphere turned nasty, and the meeting was abandoned as dozens of protesters tried to storm the town hall, the Dutch news agency ANP said.
A group of protesters threw fireworks and eggs at the building which was evacuated, sources told ANP.
Police restored calm later in the evening.
In December, Dutch police fired warning shots to disperse a demonstration in the town of Geldermalsen against a planned refugee centre for some 1,500 migrants.
There have been several other outbreaks of violence as Dutch officials have sought to explain the country's migrant policy.
Europe is grappling with its biggest influx of refugees since World War II with more than 1.1 million people having arrived on its shores, most fleeing conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and poverty in Africa.