Vandals have damaged the protective layer that had to come around the monument for the school hostage crisis in Bovensmilde. Footsteps and handprints have been placed in the protective layer.
“A lot of people have walked over it. There are also a lot of footsteps and there are also some other minor damage,” says Jan Poort. He was involved in applying the protective layer. The epoxy layer was applied yesterday and is intended to protect the recently restored monument against weather influences. Measures were taken to protect the layer, but that has not had the desired result, it now appears.
“We made the casing on Thursday and poured the epoxy on Friday. We then wrapped the scaffolding around the monument with foil so that no sand, dust or insects get into the protective layer,” says Poort. “We also made a section of the film transparent so that people could see what was behind the film.” This was done to prevent people from crawling under the foil out of curiosity. “Because curiosity is often the worst at such a moment.”
The next day it turned out that people had crawled under the foil. They walked or crawled over the monument. The epoxy layer was not yet hard and so their footprints are now in the protective layer. “I just think it’s a shame. We try to keep the monument visible to everyone for years to come. We have worked very hard on it for a long time and then someone leaves a kind of indelible impression in such a way.” Poort says it with a slight smile, but like a farmer with a toothache.
Fortunately, the footprints are not completely indelible, says Poort. “We can restore it and we will do that, but that’s not really the point at all. I have the most difficulty with the lack of standards and values,” he says. “You just stay away from such a monument. Volunteers have worked very hard on this for a long time to get this done with money from the community. Then it is very sad that some people cannot respect that.”
For now, Poort can’t do much. “We’re letting it harden now. Then we have to sand, polish and refill the damaged spots.”
The monument in Bovensmilde was placed nine years ago in memory of the school kidnapping in 1977. A group of Moluccan youths held 105 children and 5 teachers hostage. The monument is lined with pieces of mosaic. Over the years, those stones let go, so the village decided to restore it together. Damaged stones were removed from the monument and slightly damaged stones were touched up. We previously made the report below about the project.