The police have heard two suspects in the investigation into defamation, insults and threats against writer Pim Lammers, who grew up in Norg. A third person has also been identified as a suspect, but has not yet been heard.
The Central Netherlands police informed the ANP on Thursday. All three persons are suspected of threats.
According to a spokesperson, the police take the matter “very seriously: threats are a serious and criminal offense. These people thought they could get away with online threats to a writer. The free word is a great asset that we want and must protect and guard.”
The police do not rule out that more suspects will come into the picture in the coming period. The investigation is still ongoing. After assessing the files, the Public Prosecution Service decides whether the suspects will also be prosecuted.
Lammers resigned his assignment for the Children’s Book Week because he had received death threats. These followed online attacks against the author over an old adult story he wrote nearly a decade ago, about the relationship between a teenage boy and his trainer. The fuss arose after a Christian lobby group, presenter Monique Smit and model Kim Feenstra shared a few sentences from the story online.
The Public Prosecution Service has assessed some of the many hundreds of messages and responses to Lammers. Not only Lammers, but also authors who stood up for him received death threats. Authors and publishers then decided to place a full-page advertisement in all national newspapers to show support for Lammers. Bookshops also supported him.