Social media reacts with disgust to tonight’s riots in the center of Rotterdam. Those riots broke out after a protest against the corona measures and the proposed 2G policy of the cabinet got out of hand.
Several police officers and politicians are speaking out against the riots. “We can no longer take this,” PvdA parliamentarian Barbara Kathmann tweeted. It is “totally idiotic and unacceptable”, says CDA MP Hilde Palland.
VVD member Ingrid Michon calls the rioters a “bunch of crazy people”. She calls the riots the “no chance of demolishing property belonging to the police or hard-working entrepreneurs”. Independent MP Liane den Haan calls for solidarity with each other. “What kind of crazy things are these? Our care providers and healthcare professionals have it hard enough already. Take care of each other.”
Minister Grapperhaus (Security and Justice) does not want to respond yet, a spokesperson tells the AD. “We are monitoring the situation and have had contact with mayor Aboutaleb, chief of police Van Essen and the Public Prosecution Service earlier this evening. We will let the triangle do its job.”
Reactions from police officers
Chief of police Henk van Essen calls the images of the riots “absurd, almost surrealistic”. “But for all those colleagues and other aid workers who are working there – for your, mine, our safety – it is a stark reality. Their safety is now a priority. This is not demonstrating, but molestation,” he says. Twitter.
Gerrit van de Kamp, chairman of the ACP police union, also calls tonight’s events “bizarre”. “For the colleagues who work there, take care of each other. Great respect for you.” This should not be allowed, says chairman of the Dutch Police Association Jan Struijs on Twitter. “Police officers are doing everything they can to protect their citizens, journalists and the city. They pay a high price. Violence has established itself in our democracy.”
Koen Simmers of the Dutch Police Association calls the images from Rotterdam “terrible”. “This has nothing to do with demonstrating but with rioting scum and naive stupid followers. What a danger.”
–
