FvD MP disturbed by party poster saying lockdown is like WWII occupation

FvD parliamentarian Wybren van Haga distanced himself from a controversial Liberation Day poster his far-right party co-produced. The poster suggested that Dutch social and political policies meant to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are comparable to the occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany during World War II.

"It's an incredibly painful experience for a lot of people. As far as I am concerned, it was totally unnecessary to rip open such painful wounds," said Van Haga during a Parliament committee meeting on coronavirus testing.

“It clouds the discussion." He said he preferred to debate the issues of the day with substantive arguments.

The poster was widely distributed on social media Sunday and Monday and read: ”On May 5 we memorialize 75 years of freedom,” followed by the dates of birth and death for that freedom, "1945-2020". The year 2020 was preceded by a death dagger on the poster.

The poster, which was also signed by coronavirus skeptic group Viruswaarheid and organization ANBB, was condemned by the members of numerous political parties from across the political spectrum. They found the poster to be divisive and insensitive, with some calling it anti-Semitic.

D66 leader Sigrid Kaag called the poster yet another "low point" and quoted Arnon Grunberg in her response to it. “There is a special responsibility on MPs, on ministers, to set a good example, and not let their words be poisonous."

CIDI, a pro-Israel organization that also lobbies for the human rights of Jewish people in the Netherlands, criticized the poster saying it was insensitive to use the context of the Second World War for the FvD's current political goals.