The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar) will investigate how it is possible that some people received a warning for participation in the climate demonstration at Schiphol, while they say they were not present. Of the 176 people who received a warning letter from the Public Prosecution Service (OM), 3 claim that they were not at Schiphol that day.
One of the (presumed unjustified) recipients calls it “an intimidating letter from the Public Prosecution Service,” she said on Twitter. Although the letter is addressed to her (and is therefore correctly addressed), she states that she was not at Schiphol or near the airport on the day of the protest. However, she was in a playground and at a wedding elsewhere in the country, and says she has proof of this in the form of photos and receipts.
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On November 5 last year, about four hundred climate activists stormed the platform at Schiphol-East to demand a ban on private jets. The organization of the protest was in the hands of Extinction Rebellion and Greenpeace, who drove the demonstrators from the Amsterdamse Bos to Schiphol-East by truck.
They penetrated to the platform through the roof of the truck and a cut hole. While some demonstrators chained themselves to private jets and a Canadian military transport, the rest of the demonstrators sat on the ground around the planes.
400 arrests
Although the KMar initially had to look on helplessly, about four hundred demonstrators were arrested later that day, many of whom did not want to identify themselves. After it was finished everyone sent homeand the Public Prosecution Service started an investigation.
The emphasis was on establishing the identity of the demonstrators who had chained themselves to the aircraft and demonstrators who had helped other demonstrators enter the site.
Identity established
In the end, the Public Prosecution Service succeeded in establishing the identity of 183 people involved in the action. Five of them have to answer to the police judge because they would have chained themselves to the devices. The case of two people involved, who allegedly helped the activists enter the site, has been dropped.
The Public Prosecution Service accuses them that their actions have led to ‘considerable damage’. Five aircraft, including a medical flight, had to divert. An aviation police helicopter was also unable to land and a parked police helicopter had nowhere to go.
Warning letter
176 others have received warning letters. Although they have walked or cycled across the site, thereby committing a criminal offense, the Public Prosecution Service sticks to a warning. “The Public Prosecution Service can imagine that, despite a warning from the mayor (Marianne Schuurmans, ed.), these people may not have fully realized the risks,” the Public Prosecution Service previously wrote. in a press release.
When asked about the possible scenarios that the KMar will investigate, a spokesperson says that the police service does not want to anticipate the investigation. “We will look as broadly as possible at how this could have happened. We want to know that ourselves. If it is our fault, we will act on it.”
‘regrettable’
If it is true that the letter was sent to people who were not present at the protest on November 5 last year, that is ‘regrettable’, according to the Public Prosecution Service. “Then apologies will follow. Of course, all registered data will also be destroyed,” the OM said in a press release.