Once again at Pentecost, the gnome forest in Erp is hit: destruction, stolen gnomes and this time, as an absolute low point, there has also been defecation in the forest. The voluntary organization is angry, because for the second year in a row a trail of destruction has been left behind.
“There are often small vandalisms in the gnome forest,” explains initiator Eline Kampers. “The idea for the forest arose during the corona period and it is voluntarily run by us, including donations and a pot of money from the municipality and the village council.”
“This is an absolute low point.”
The gnomes on De Roost, in the outskirts of Erp, were already destroyed last year at Pentecost. This year it’s hit again and it’s even a degree worse. “This is an absolute low point. What I found this morning is really not fun anymore.”
Because not only were some gnomes stolen and destroyed, there was also poop and a lot of toilet paper with poop on it. “As far as we know now, there is no poop on the gnomes,” said Kampers.
The question then is of course: who does such a thing, but that is still unclear. Behind the gnome forest are the temporary artist parking spaces of two adjacent festivals, Harmony of Hardcore and Seventh Sunday. Kampers thinks this is no coincidence, because those parking spaces are only in use at Pentecost. “But we can’t prove that.”
“We were able to walk to the woods this morning.”
This year there was extra supervision of the gnome forest during the festival weekend. This security was arranged by the festival organization, among others. “But those guards were just eating in the car. We were able to walk to the forest this morning. That should not be the intention.”
Kampers now really hopes that it will be the last time. “Because it’s not fun anymore. This really makes us very sad.”
