Graffitispuiter Niels thought he could protest against Israel – until suddenly four police buses were behind him

Fuck Israel was still in chalk, Free Palestine He had already colored with a spray can. Unsuspectingly, graffiti spout Niels Bakkerus stood on his staircase against the middle hour last Sunday, when two police vans approached the cycle path.

Bakkerus stood in the Berenkuil, a traffic square on the Ring of Eindhoven. Upstairs is intended for cars, cyclists ride downstairs on the roundabout and pedestrians walk. Cross the roads an open -air museum of plowsas graffiti works in the scene are mentioned. It has been the largest tolerance spot for graffiti in the Netherlands since 1997. Police don’t get there – normally.

Bakkerus has made murals all of his life. In Eindhoven he beautified the street scene with murals for PSV at the Philips Stadium and, opposite the Town Hall, one to celebrate for eighty years of freedom. He sprays graffiti in the Berenkuil every month, always without problems.

It was his fortyth birthday, but Bakkerus had a few hours left, so he went to work with his staircase, black paint and light blue spray last Sunday.

I’m going to think about it

“I will continue,” Bakkerus told the two agents who appealed to him and noted his identity. The police had received a report “that someone was applying incitement texts” in the Berenkuil, a spokesperson said in writing. The officers disappeared, but returned fifteen minutes later. Fuck Israel had to disappear. According to a spokesperson, the police had decided that in consultation with the Chief of service, also the auxiliary officer of Justice. “I’m going to think about it,” said Bakkerus, and he sprayed stoically.

Then, according to Bakkerus, a third van arrived and followed “a fierce discussion.” The slogan was his expression of artistic freedom and freedom of expression, but he thought it was “quite impressive” that there were now three police cars behind him.

Bakkerus started to doubt, he will tell in the same place on Wednesday NRC. He was done with it, with the third police car that Sunday. With a roller black paint he went over a few letters. Now it stood F__ I_RA_L, Free Palestine. Then, according to Bakkerus, a fourth van came, after which he with his roller Fuck completely removed and frustrated home.

Dries van Agt

Bakkerus has long been concerned with the Palestinians. As a child, he spoke about it with former Prime Minister Dries van Agt (CDA), a cousin of his grandfather and advocate of the Palestinian case. In your twenties, he won a design competition from United Civilians for Peace (UCP), a collaboration of Dutch NGOs that campaigns against Israel. At the expense of UCP, he was allowed to travel to a village near Jerusalem and apply a graffiti work to the illegal separation wall built by Israel through Palestinian.

Bakkerus is not a prototype activist, he thinks. “Demonstrating with all like -minded people,” says Bakkerus “preaching to the choir“.

This, spraying graffiti, is his way to express himself.

Weeks ago his eye fell on the detached wall on the edge of the Berenkuil, visible from above for motorists and ‘In Your Face“For passing cyclists and pedestrians. It is precisely in this place, known for abstract graffiti with extreme typography, wanted to put Bakkerus” a crystal clear, tight message “.

At such a moment we try to talk to how someone can make their statement without using offensive texts

Offensive

Applying a message like that of Bakkerus is “not in itself punishable,” a police spokesperson said by e -mail on Thursday. “However, the text can appear offensive and offensive. At such a moment we try to talk to how someone can make his statement without using offensive texts.”

According to the spokesperson, the fact that four vans were pulled out on Sunday to address bakery. “The request was to remove the text” and “units then drive by to check whether this has been met.”

Bakkerus was not comfortable that he could not have made his point. He consulted lawyer Willem Jebbink, who often assists activists. Fuck Israel is not an incentive according to Jebbink, he leaves it by e -mail NRC know, because it is not a call to commit a criminal offense or violence against public authority.

According to lawyer Jebbink, the ruling is not offensive. He refers to the calling of “Fuck de Koning, Fuck the Queen, Fuck the royal family” for which his then client Abdul Kasim al-Jaberi was arrested in a demonstration against Zwarte Piet. That ruling was judged by the OM as not offensive and the case was dismissed. According to lawyer Jebbink, the fact that Bakkerus was approached is “a shameful and intimidating infringement of freedom of expression.”

Gray

Strengthened by the lawyer’s advice, Bakkerus was stretched on his staircase on Wednesday, for attempt two. This time there were no agents. Cyclists raised their thumb, clap and stopped to take pictures. Within fifteen minutes there was Fuck Israel, Free Palestine To read. This time it would remain standing – he thought.

A day later, Bakkerus let his dog out around half past two in the afternoon and saw that the graffiti is indeed still intact. But two hours later there is only a large gray surface to see, says NRC fixed.

Zoom in

Five minutes later, the artist sees it with his own eyes, from his racing bike. “Well, beautiful things,” he sighs, with a smile of surprise. He would prefer to spray the same words immediately, but he has no time for that on Thursday evening, he leaves for Berlin on Friday. Yet he will immediately get his things.

Who painted his text? Before Bakkerus returns with his things, if requested, a spokesperson for the municipality of Eindhoven told NRC that it has painted over the text: “Because we have received notification that this expression is being experienced as offensive.”

Bakkerus, who has also done assignments for the municipality, says back to the wall: “The fucking-smeente. Sjongejonge. They could have just called?” Bakkerus quickly sets a, he emphasizes, temporary message on the wall: “What they erase is what you need to see.” What they erase is what you have to see.

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