It all started on Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. when the activists disrupted the council meeting of the municipality of Emmen about the annual budget. They did this because they want to adjust the appearance of the Pieten at the arrival of Sinterklaas in Emmen. The organization and municipality have chosen to gradually ban Zwarte Piet in Emmen. The demonstrators want Emmen to do so immediately and did not want to leave the hall before firm commitments were made.