Mayor Marco Out van Assen has banned the Pegida demonstration that was planned for this afternoon at the last minute. During that demonstration, the radical right-wing group would burn a Koran at the court in Assen.
The municipality said: “Based on new information from the police, the safety surrounding the demonstration cannot be guaranteed and public order and safety was therefore at risk.” A spokesperson for the municipality cannot say what this new information is.
The organizer of the demonstration has been informed. The municipality calls on people not to come to Assen.
Various groups are now hanging around the city center who might have wanted to be at the demonstration and fireworks are being lit. Police are on standby in several places in Assen. A reporter from RTV Drenthe also sees cars being towed away. According to a spokesperson for the municipality, this has to do with a parking ban near the court.
The Drostenlaantje near the Drents Museum is also said to have been closed due to a police investigation. This may be due to an abandoned bag.
Pegida’s demonstration was scheduled to start at 2 p.m.