Arnoldus S. was also sentenced to forty hours of community service during a quick trial. That is less than the sixty hours that the public prosecutor had demanded, because S. received a blow with a baton, which means that he now has his hand in plaster. The judge also ordered the man to pay compensation of 350 euros to the policeman, who suffered from the stairs for a week.
Camouflage clothing
S. was part of a group of veterans who attended the demonstration in camouflage clothing. “We stood there in line to protect people so they wouldn’t get beaten. We wanted to act as a shield for the innocent and peaceful people,” S. explained to the Amsterdam police judge. He stated that he had lost his temper and spoke of a “repelling kick.”
The police judge thought that S. should not have traveled to the Museumplein in any case, because the demonstration was banned in advance by the mayor. “This cannot but be punished with hefty prison terms,” said the judge. He also noted that the Amsterdam court is now imposing higher sentences on suspects who were violent during corona demonstrations last year and who appealed their conviction.