Anti-blackface Zwarte Piet activist fined for resisting arrest

Well-known anti-Zwarte Piet activist Jerry Afriyie was fined 500 euros by the court in The Hague for resisting arrest during the Sinterklaas arrival in Gouda in 2014. Afriyie plans to go in cassation against the verdict, he confirmed to NU.nl.

A previous ruling acquitted Afriyie of both resisting arrest and assault. But on Tuesday the court in The Hague decided to fine him after all. He was fined 500 euros, and another 500 euros that was conditionally suspended.

During the Sinterklaas arrival festival in Gouda in 2014 supporters and opponents of blackface Zwarte Piet gathered to protest at the town hall. They had no permission to protest there and the police ordered them to leave. The atmosphere turned nasty and a total of 90 people were arrested, both in the pro- and anti-Zwarte Piet groups.

Afriyie was the only one to end up in court. He charged with resisting arrest and assault for pinching a police officer during his arrest. The Hague court acquitted him of the assault charge.

According to Afriyie, the court could do nothing else but acquit him of assault. He calls it "bizarre" that the police charged in him with this "fabricated case". He added that he lost his job in security due to this assault charge. "Now I'm acquitted, but I still have a criminal record", he said to NU.nl.