Bart and Leonie Hülters from Breda feel discriminated against and sidelined by the municipality. Their requests for extra pitches at a caravan camp were rejected time and time again, while there was room for 24 apartments for seniors. But instead of giving up, they now opt for a new, remarkable step. The couple takes into account the municipal politics for the SP. “We no longer let ourselves be put aside and now we also fight from the inside.”
Everything revolves around a piece of wasteland next to a caravan camp in the Beemden in The Hague. Caravan dwellers have been asking for years for expansion of locations, but the municipality preferred to focus on the construction of social rental apartments for seniors. “For us, that is a slap in the face,” says Bart Hülters of the Foundation Beda Beda Foundation. “Everything is possible for others, but every door is closed for us caravan dwellers.”
They feel discriminated against by the municipality of Breda and also reported against mayor and aldermen and the officials of spatial planning of the city. But the feeling of injustice only got bigger because the Public Prosecution Service decided not to investigate. The reason? Caravan dwellers would legally not be ‘breed’. “But according to the College of Human Rights, we are, so that makes no sense,” Bart Bart. “We’ll just be disadvantaged, and they know that.”
“We don’t give up and from now on we also fight from the inside.”
Their lawyer Peter Schouten is now trying to force prosecution via the Supreme Court in Den Bosch. “To avoid the appearance of bias, I don’t think the Zeeland/West Brabant Public Prosecution Service should have done,” says Schouten. “They should have surrendered that to another district. The assessment must be made again.”
“The public prosecutor sits around the table with these drivers every week,” says Leonie. “It feels like: we at WC-duck advise WC-duck. Isn’t that a honest investigation? It is a big disappointment.”
But the Breda caravan interests Foundation has even more irons in the fire. An objection procedure is still running at the Council of State about the zoning plan change of the land next to the caravan camp. And a complaint about discrimination against the municipality of Breda did responded to the College of Human Rights. That is now doing further research.
But the fighting spirit of the Hülters couple, who now lives elsewhere, also gets a new stage: the city council. With the elections of March 18 in Zicht, the local SP offers them a place on the electoral list (Leonie on position 6 and Bart on 12). “They were the only ones who were immediately behind us,” Leonie explains the choice. “And they also want to put the caravan policy on the map nationwide. Who knows how much preference we get.”
In order to prepare well, Leonie already followed the politically active course and with Bart she participates monthly in an internal course from the Socialist Party. “We already have thick file knowledge, but now we are also learning how politically is skilled. So that no one is getting away from us anymore.”
“They have been a member of the SP for a while, so it’s no more than logical,” says party leader Inge Verdaasdonk. “And we have treated their applications just as with everyone else. Leonie in particular has already shown that she can very well make an analysis of an issue, put the finger on the sore spot and can deal with questions from councilors. And in addition, the city council should see a reflection of the people. So that’s why it is already an added value.”
“They say we are not achieving anything, but for the time being that senior apartment is not there either.”
The battle of Bart and Leonie and the Foundation for Carcass Interests Breda has been taking since 2021 and is difficult. There are some disappointments, such as the city council that dropped them, but also some small victories. For example, there was a registration list for caravan dwellers and the promised expansion of pitches is now black and white. “They say that we are not achieving anything,” says Bart, “but in the meantime that senior flat from Alwel is not there either. So we keep each other in balance.”
“We have always stayed neat and never took to the streets with sticks and clubs,” he concludes. “But we do have a long breath. This is a matter of principle. We don’t give up. And from now on we also fight from within.”
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