The police were present with more than two hundred officers in Staphorst last Saturday, where demonstrators who had wanted to protest against Zwarte Piet were attacked by a mob.
A spokesman for the police said this. According to the police, this is a major commitment. “A high-risk football match usually involves about 150 agents.”
In addition to activists from Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP), people from human rights organization Amnesty International were also attacked. Several investigations are ongoing, including those of the Public Prosecution Service. The municipality has announced an independent investigation, and the police said earlier that it is already critically examining its own actions.
Whether the police’s deployment was “too little or whether other circumstances played a role are questions that we cannot yet answer,” said the spokesperson.
“It is certain that some demonstrators and Amnesty observers have had to endure frightening moments and they are therefore absolutely entitled to more clarity about our actions at the announced protest of KOZP.”