Rotterdam school's Sinterklaas parade scrapped for "security reasons"

The Onze Wereld primary school in Rotterdam decided to scrap their Sinterklaas' arrival parade this year for "security reasons", school principal Tilly Terheijden said to newspaper AD. Instead Sinterklaas will arrive at the school out of sight of the parents.

The school decided to have Sinterklaas accompanied by so-called Chimney Pieten this year, instead of the traditional blackface Zwarte Pieten after a complaint by a parent. This decision led to a heated discussion among parents at the school, with both pro- and anti-Zwarte Piet groups rearing their heads.

"Some were planning to express their views at the arrival on the square. One shouted that he'd be coming with 200 supporters, another went a step further. I have no fancy for that." the school principal said to the newspaper.

After consulting with the police, the school therefore decided to scrap the arrival parade. Instead Sinterklaas and his four Pieten will arrive out of sight of the parents.