The VVD in Hoogeveen calls on residents not to hang the Dutch flag upside down on May 4 and 5 as a protest, but upright to show respect for the victims of war and oppression.
Council member Erica Blenkers of the VVD made the call on Thursday evening during the council meeting in Hoogeveen, where politicians debated an adapted flag protocol.
‘Not to maintain’
Mayor Karel Loohuis said that on private land it is allowed to hang the Dutch flag upside down. “Everyone is free to do that. As a municipality, we cannot enforce that.”
Hoogeveen wants to adjust the municipal flag protocol after a fuss last year about hoisting the green #trotsopdeboer flag in the tower of the town hall. The council proposes to submit flags with a political message or message that will fly in the tower of the town hall in Hoogeveen in advance to the municipal council for approval.
Events
Municipal interests also advocate raising the flags of events such as the Cascaderun, Ronde van Drenthe and the international Chess Tournament in addition to the national, provincial and local flags. In the current proposal, those flags are referred to the area in front of the town hall. Other parties had no problem with that.