Court orders artist Tinkebell to retract accusation that former MP assaulted a woman

Artist Katinka Simonse, better known as Tinkebell, was ordered to post a retraction on Twitter regarding accusations she made against former PvdA MP Gijs van Dijk. During a broadcast on NPO Radio 1, Simonse claimed that Van Dijk assaulted a woman. The decision was handed down by the District Court in Amsterdam in summary proceedings after Van Dijk filed a lawsuit regarding the accusation, and other comments Simonse made.

The court said on Thursday that her claims against Van Dijk were "unlawful."

Van Dijk resigned in February 2022 after reports of what the PvdA leader at the time, Lilianne Ploumen, had called "inappropriate behavior" that made the victims "feel unsafe." The PvdA commissioned an independent investigation into the allegations, and banned him from the party, but the PvdA board later was forced to admit that process had been careless "at various times" It then issued an apology to Van Dijk, though the report has never been made fully public.

Simonse, a columnist and artist, is one of the women who had sounded the alarm about the former PvdA member at the time. She said she previously had a sexual relationship with him. In the NPO Radio 1 program, she said that Van Dijk assaulted a woman by hugging her roughly. She also speculated that the former PvdA member was offered 350,000 euros and a new job by the political faction.

The court said that Simonse's claims are "not supported by the facts." The judge also ruled that the accusation of sexual assault "without good basis" harms Van Dijk's reputation and his personal and professional life.

Simonse must post a statement correcting her remarks on her Twitter account, and the message must be visible for two weeks. She is also not allowed to use Twitter for a period of two hours after posting the message, and she will be fined if she makes such statements about him again. For example, she is not allowed to say that he is guilty of sexual assault, or claim that he is having, or has had, a relationship with current PvdA leader Attje Kuiken.

Van Dijk, who became emotional at times in court during the hearing, said he just wanted his calm. "I want it to pass."

Simonse responded to the statement on Twitter. "Your favorite artist has just been silenced and will soon suitably rectify what the judge ordered her to rectify," she said on Twitter. She quickly added that she may have another strong opinion about her prior comments, but she would not state them. "Advice to all who want to highlight injustice in any way: 'Think twice.'"