Police make three new arrests over Nazi uniform stunt in Urk; Teens say sorry to Holocaust survivor

The police arrested three new suspects in Urk last weekend on suspicion of the illegal possession of weapons. The three are aged 18, 19 and 20. The arrests took place as part of the investigation into photos that appeared on the internet of young people dressed in Nazi uniforms on the street in Urk. A 19-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday for the same reason.

The young people are rumored to have dressed up in Nazi clothing in protest against the coronavirus measures, but the investigation has not yet proven this, according to the police. Several firearms were seen in the photos. The police searched for weapons in the homes of those involved on Tuesday. A firearm was found in one residence leading to the arrest of the suspected owner, the 19-year-old man from Urk.

Police arrested a second suspect, a 20-year-old, on Friday. Two more suspects, aged 18 and 19, were arrested on Saturday. They are all from Urk, and were released from custody after questioning, the police reported. However, they remain under suspicion for the illegal possession of weapons. Police would not rule out more arrests for weapons charges.

Additionally, the Public Prosecution Service will decide at a later date whether the young people will be prosecuted for publicly wearing the Nazi uniforms.

Meanwhile, the young adults from Urk who wore the Nazi clothing have apologized to the municipality and to 80-year-old Lous Steenhuis-Hoepelman, a Holocaust survivor. The municipality of Urk and CIDI, a lobby working on behalf of Israeli and Jewish issues, said that the young people had a conversation on Saturday with the Jewish woman who survived several concentration camps.

The young people also gave the woman a bouquet of flowers.