Police refuse to write up Zwarte Piet death threat: report

On Tuesday morning, police officers at the police station in Soest refused to record reports from the action group Pro Zwarte Piet. Patrick van Rijn of the action group wanted to file a report against the anti- Zwarte Piet group Kick Out Zwarte Piet, who demonstrated on the Markt during the national Sinterklaas arrival in Gouda, against the prohibition of the mayor. He also wanted to lay charges against Quincy Garia and Saidy Smeenk for inciting racism, hatred and violence. The latter posted a picture of Zwarte Piet with a swastika on Facebook. Van Rijn also wanted to report the death threats that Pro Zwarte Piet received via social media. "I had digital evidence and print screens of the serious threats on me, but the police did not even look at it", says Van Rijn. "They say that I have to keep myself busy with something other than the Zwarte Piet discussion and that they only record reports of criminal offenses." It is however not up to the officers to determine whether something is illegal, but the Public Prosecution after the report has been made. After Metro made contact with the police on Tuesday to ask for clarification about this declined report, Van Rijn was invited back to make his report. The threats and insults on social media include someone with the Facebook profile "Zwarte Piet Not" saying that he hopes that "Germany again destroys this country and put the Dutch in gas chambers. Away Zwarte Piet". The "Bijlmerboys" sent a picture showing a gun. The text below reads: "Yes yes the day will come then I will kill all those white haters. Note the day will come." There are also harsh statements from Pro-Zwarte Piet supporters and from Van Rijn himself, but according to Van Rijn, that does not alter the fact that the police refused to take his report. "I never said things that incite violence. I don't deny that I made harsh statements, but people may also report me if they want to."