‘I didn’t like those flags that much’

Johnny de Mol believes that the farmers are going too far with their protests. The SBS 6 presenter says he is not that pro-farmer anyway. “I’ve never really liked those flags.”

© NPO

As in other countries in Europe, farmers’ protests are also increasing in our country. They move to highways, but waste and hay bales are also set on fire. Johnny de Mol was a guest on the talk show last night Sophie & Jeroen and there he was anxious to bring up this subject.

Angry at farmers

Hostess Sophie Hilbrand gives Johnny the floor at one point. “Johnny, you wanted to talk about the farmers’ protests.”

Johnny then: “Yes, that was of course intense, wasn’t it? Where is the line between protesting and disrupting public order? I always get the feeling from the football supporters that a small section is ruining it for the rest and I wonder… The support for the farmers is really decreasing as a result.”

Flags

Sophie wants to know where Johnny stands in the discussion. “Because are you someone who supports the farmers, but says: this is actually going a bit too far for me?”

Johnny: “Well, I never really liked those upside-down flags, but yes, they do stand for something. They are fighting for something, but I cannot imagine that the majority of farmers agree with this, but then again you don’t hear that.”

Limits reached

Fellow table guest Frans Timmermans, who is seen by the farmers as one of their archenemies, says that climate activists are better off than protesting farmers. “I think: using violence and threatening politicians is of a different order, I must say. (…) I find these types of scenes unacceptable.”

According to him, the farmers need to tone down a bit. “Nature has reached its limits. Really reached its limits. That will also affect our public health.”

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