Halsema and lawyers opposed the disclosure of the messages for months. The documents also did not surface in an independent investigation that the triangle set up in Amsterdam in response to the Dam demonstration. When De Telegraaf requested the documents via a Wob request, Halsema defended himself by stating that the documents were ‘personal’ and therefore did not have to be shared.
It did become clear that Halsema had already had a fight with former minister Ferd Grapperhaus (Justice) when Dam Square filled up (just after the first corona lockdown). Municipal councilors also previously made a request to disclose the documents, but this was refused by Halsema.
Halsema sent Rutte: „Please contact us about demo. I need some support.” Rutte replied: „Femke, you are in contact with Ferd about this. I see zero added value sitting in between that. I find the images from Amsterdam extremely intense. This is very bad for support under the 1.5 meter measure.” Halsema responded: „Sorry, I expect a little more from you. I am being ambushed by 10,000 people this afternoon and there is no police force to break this up peacefully.” Rutte replied: “Ferd has contact with you.” That led to disappointment with the mayor. “Hey Mark, you really leave me out in the cold.”
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Text messages Rutte and Halsema.
Text messages Rutte and Halsema.
PVV leader Wilders demanded the documents on Thursday in the debate with Prime Minister Rutte (about his deleted text messages). Although Rutte first indicated that the documents in his department had been ‘lost’, they were still sent to the House on Wednesday afternoon.