Reports of serious threats against politicians already almost doubled | Inland

“Since the corona year 2020, the number of threats has increased sharply,” says Ruud Gründmann, TBP team leader at the police. Not only online, but physically as well. The seriousness and intensity of the incidents have also changed. Politicians and government officials are increasingly being harassed and booed. That does not always lead to a report, but it is typical for this time.” The police see an increase in social unrest and a growing willingness to report and report as the main causes of the increase.

For example, Member of Parliament Wybren van Haga (BLVN) filed a report with the police last summer after an aggressive man had entered his home. And nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal felt threatened during a large farmers’ demonstration in Stroe by an intimidating text on the truck with a reference to the murders of Pim Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh. Prime Minister Rutte is also regularly threatened with death.

In 2020, there were a total of 600 reports. In the pre-corona year 2019 at 393 notifications. 2018 was also an outlier with 620 reports. At that time, the increase was mainly due to increased reports from one politician (Geert Wilders), largely about threats from outside the EU.

Today, the police see the threats coming from all sides. Gründmann: ,,Threats are frequently convicted and we also see that the level of the penalties imposed is substantial. As a signal to society that you will not get away with it.” And: “Ultimately, it’s about safeguarding democracy and protecting people who stand for this democracy.”

The Police Threatened Politicians Team focuses on criminal threats against people in the ‘National domain’. These are, for example, ministers, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, ambassadors and members of the Royal House.