Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) has defended Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema against criticism from PVV leader Geert Wilders over her handling of the protests at the opening of the National Holocaust Museum on Sunday. Wilders had Monday written on X that it is “an unprecedented shame” that demonstrators could come “so close” to the opening, which was also attended by Holocaust survivors. “It smacks of a political action by the extreme left-wing mayor of Amsterdam,” Wilders said about Halsema, who is from GroenLinks-PvdA.
Rutte wrote Monday evening in a response to X: “We all wanted the opening of the National Holocaust Museum yesterday to have gone smoothly. But one thing is certain: when it comes to maintaining public order, our mayors do not engage in politics.” Wilders responded again: “Rutte supports Halsema. I support Jewish Netherlands.”
Various messages were heard at the protest. Some of the demonstrators protested against the presence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, due to his support for the war in the Gaza Strip. There were also demonstrations against the Dutch government that continues to support Israel and Jewish demonstrators were present with signs such as “Jews against genocide”. Another group of demonstrators used explicitly anti-Semitic slogans. For example, some demonstrators said they support Hamas and images also showed people giving the Hitler salute. The Amsterdam city council will debate the protest.
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