The mayor says in a statement that he is very sorry about what happened in the schoolyard. “This has a huge impact on the children, parents and teachers.” Wortelboer has spoken extensively with the teachers, he says. “They are extremely shocked and put the care of the child at the top. Let me be clear: the school must be a safe and trusted place for all children.”
The mayor assures that the authorities on duty are busy handling the incident. “The person has been arrested and the police and judiciary are assessing what the next steps are. There have now been two serious incidents, I assume that will be taken into account.” The competent healthcare authorities will also look at what should now be done with the 24-year-old man.
No quick return
Wortelboer thinks it is “very unwise” if the person returns to his home in Grootebroek in the short term. “That is not good for the peace in the neighborhood, at the school and for himself. But a mayor cannot just evict someone from his house.”
“We can’t just impose forced care either,” he explains. “As soon as I receive the signal from the healthcare sector that compulsory admission is necessary by order of the mayor, I will make that decision.”
Housing association response
The man has been living in a rental home owned by the Woon Schakel housing association, opposite the school, for several years. “We do not close our eyes to the situation,” says director Albert Gieling. He has already spoken briefly with the mayor today. Gieling will continue to consult with the municipality and other authorities to see what the possibilities are. But he says: “The incident was in the public area, we as a housing corporation cannot act on that. There are legal restrictions.”
According to Gieling, local residents never complained about the man until the first incident. “Before, there was no reason for us as a housing association to take any steps.”