Two men from Ameland have been convicted for their roles in an incident involving a camera crew from Omroep Powned during the local Sunneklaas tradition in December 2023. The court sentenced them to 120 and 100 hours of community service, respectively, finding them guilty of making threats.
the incident occurred when the powned crew, consisting of a reporter, cameraman, and driver, traveled to Ameland to cover sunneklaas, an island tradition associated with sinterklaas that is known for its secretive nature and the residents’ desire to keep media presence minimal. Upon arrival,the crew was met by a group of 15 to 30 individuals on the pier,who reportedly intended to “explain the rules of the game.” The situation escalated as the group pursued the journalists’ car at high speed. One of the convicted men, identified as Jesse V., climbed onto the hood of the car and struck the windows. He also reportedly collided with the journalists’ vehicle using his own car.
The other convicted individual, Rob K., allegedly told the journalists they were “enclosed on all sides” and would “not survive” if they proceeded with filming. K. claimed his intention was merely to warn them. He also admitted to hitting the car and shouting, “open that fucking door.”
The public prosecutor had initially sought harsher penalties, requesting 180 hours of community service and a three-month suspended prison sentence. The judge’s decision reflects a lesser sentence than what was initially sought by the prosecution.
