Action group Kick Out Zwarte Piet (KOZP) will cancel the demonstration that would take place in Eindhoven on Sunday afternoon. The group is doing this because of a planned counter-demonstration by Pegida supporters, who are allowed to demonstrate right next to KOZP on Stadhuisplein. KOZP reports this on Saturday evening Facebook.
By allowing the counter-demonstration, KOZP feels that it is limited by the municipality and the police in their freedom of demonstration. There would be a box for KOZP protesters and Pegida supporters. This would put the two groups in direct opposition. The action group refuses to demonstrate under these ‘locked up’ circumstances.
“KOZP does not want to participate in this media spectacle and has no confidence that the police and the municipality of Eindhoven take institutional racism, the right of demonstration and the safety of our protesters seriously,” the statement read.
Spokesperson Elvin Rigters of the action group fears that the presence of Pegida also has a “drawing effect” on hooligans and people who want to use violence against KOZP protesters, such as last weekend in Maastricht. happened.
Demonstration Venlo ends in disturbances
A KOZP demonstration on Saturday in Venlo also resulted in disturbances towards the end. Counter-protesters threw fireworks and eggs at the police and KOZP protesters. The police eventually stopped four counter-protesters On. Two of them are suspected of assault. About two hundred supporters of KOZP came to the demonstration.
According to KOZP, about five hundred people had already registered for Sunday’s demonstration in Eindhoven. KOZP is now holding a virtual demonstration via social media on Sunday.
The supporters of Zwarte Piet van Pegida have previously announced that they will no longer be demonstrating in the area designated by the municipality on the Town Hall Square. Instead, they join a protagonist demonstration on the Markt in the Brabant city.
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