Minister Sigrid Kaag (Finance, D66) was met on Sunday during a working visit in Diepenheim, Twente, by a group of about fifty demonstrators. The group, some of whom were holding flaming torches, had blocked the road that Kaag had to travel with tractors. The minister therefore had to cover the last stretch to her appointment on foot.
Kaag was in Twente to campaign for the provincial elections. She would end her day with a participation in a political talk show. Earlier, action group Combatants Twente had distributed a flyer in which they called on the residents of Diepenheim to “give the minister a warm welcome”. According to the ANP news agency, Kaag was aware that there would be a demonstration and the police were also present. Images on social media show the minister talking to the torch-carrying demonstrators.
In January last year, Kaag was visited at home by a torch-carrying demonstrator who shouted conspiracy slogans. The incident was filmed and shared on social media by a co-defendant. Protester Max van den B. was sentenced to five months in prison early last week on appeal.
Several politicians have spoken out on social media against the protesters’ action in Twente. Prime Minister Mark Rutte calls the action “unacceptable” in a message on Twitter. “Demonstration is allowed, but intimidating politicians must stop.” On the same platform mentions minister Wopke Hoekstra (Foreign Affairs, CDA) the demonstration “an absolute disgrace”. BBB parliamentary group chairman Caroline van der Plas tweeted: “I’m not a fan of D66 at all, but act normal.”