Vandals destroy Sinterklaas decorations in Sint-Oedenrode

In Sint-Oedenrode, the Sinterklaas decorations were destroyed last weekend. It was the first time that the Sinterklaas committee had posted a series of large signs of Pieten, parcels and Sinterklaas in the village.

“It is funny?” asks Marjolein Steenbakkers of the committee Brabant broadcasting turned off. “You try to do something for the community and then something like this happens. It’s such a shame.”

The vandals tore off the decorations and smashed them, even with paving stones.

Who is behind it remains a guess, but Steenbakkers suspects that they were young drunks. “Hopefully someone will come forward, but I really don’t expect that,” he says.

The volunteers worked for days on the decorations. Painting, sawing—that took three full days, according to Steenbakkers.

All in all, the decorations have been on display in the village for a week or two. The fact that it was already destroyed before Pakjesavond is sour, Steenbakkers says. “It was a kind of test to see if it was appreciated. If it breaks like this, it will leave a bitter aftertaste. We doubt that we will continue like this.”