It is “inappropriate and unheard of” that Gideon van Meijeren, Member of Parliament for the Forum for Democracy (FvD), attacked SBS6 journalist Merel Ek in her office with a rotating camera. That is the opinion of Speaker of the House of Representatives Vera Bergkamp. Van Meijeren labeled Ek a “sewer journalist”.
Merel Ek, from Hoogeveen, does not think Van Meijeren’s action is okay, she wrote on Twitter. “Everyone is allowed to criticize my work and I like to discuss it, but the way Gideon van Meijeren approached me last Thursday is not okay. I support the conversation that was secretly filmed.”
The MP of the FvD posted a video on social media with the accompanying text: “Activists who conduct sewer journalism can no longer get away with their lies, disinformation and fake news. Time for a counterattack.”
He addresses SBS reporter Merel Ek with a rotating camera. She initially did not start the conversation when she saw the rotating camera. She later spoke to Van Meijeren, after he reassured her that the camera was gone. That was not true: the camera was still running and recording the conversation.
The Hoogeveen journalist asked Van Meijeren earlier about the words Johan Derksen had used about Forum leader Baudet. Derksen said in Today Inside that “they should liquidate that guy”. Later Derksen said it was a slip of the tongue. Ek pointed out that, according to the dictionary, liquidation would also mean sending the Dikke van Dale away. But that turns out not to be the case.
She writes about this on social media: “I should not have mentioned the Dikke van Dale in an earlier interview with Gideon van Meijeren, because ‘sending away’ was indeed not in it. My point was clear and remains: words can be interpreted in several ways. explained.”