The damage caused by vandalism to the aviary in the Plantsoen amounts to 5,000 euros. At least ten birds have escaped. There is no trace of seven birds. They are presumed dead. The vandalism is the work of ‘De Zwarte Tulp’. The details of the perpetrators are known. It is now being investigated whether the vandalism can be linked to specific people.
“Last week the gauze of the bird house was cut open in the night from Friday to Saturday,” said alderman Ashley North (GroenLinks). “That allowed the birds to escape.” The text ‘Vogelvrij’ was applied to the bird cage. The entrance door was destroyed and everything in the bird house was turned upside down. The mesh has been provisionally repaired. It may soon be replaced by vandal-resistant steel. The entrance door will be replaced. The graffiti has been removed.
“The municipality of Leiden has filed a report. The Merenwijk Children’s Farm wants to get in touch via Facebook and enter into a conversation with people who do not agree with keeping birds in the aviary in the Plantsoen”, North says. In the coming period, the police and enforcement will keep an extra eye on the cage.