Ameland residents clash with PowNed crew reporting on Sunneklaas secret tradition
Contributors from the broadcaster PowNed were reportedly attacked and chased by residents of Ameland during the Sunneklaas tradition on Tuesday. According to the media organization, three of its members were assaulted upon their arrival on the island to report on the event.
Sunneklaas, a secretive tradition unique to Ameland, involves men dressing up in costumes and masks and parading through the island's four villages on December 5. This event, detailed by regional broadcaster Omrop Fryslân, is exclusive to the island's residents and typically does not welcome outsiders. During Sunneklaas, women and children under 18 are expected to stay indoors, with those found outside chased back with sticks.
The PowNed team sent to the island on Tuesday comprised a contributor, a cameraman, and a security guard. “Things went wrong immediately after they arrived by boat. A group of 20 to 30 men dressed in black scanned each car for outsiders and attacked the vehicle with the journalists,” stated Roy van den Berghe, PowNed's editor-in-chief, in a statement.
A high-speed car chase ensued, involving about a dozen cars, with multiple attempts to block and ambush the journalists' vehicle. The police eventually intervened, separating the groups and speaking with those involved.
The police confirmed on Wednesday they had intervened during "a confrontation between two parties on Ameland where violence may have been used." The report came around 6:00 p.m. of a "conflict involving several people." After intervening, the police relocated the crew to another area on the island. No arrests have been made yet, but an investigation is underway.
The municipality of Ameland expressed regret over the incident, condemning the use of violence. However, they noted that the people of Ameland "celebrate together once a year during Sunneklaas. It is a celebration by and for islanders. In another word, a party that Amelanders like to celebrate by themselves.”
PowNed has filed a complaint following the incident and plans to lodge an additional complaint against the police for negligence. The organization claimed that the local police were unresponsive or minimally responsive when the journalists sought help.
Dominique Weesie, the chairman of PowNed, reported having to request assistance directly from outgoing Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz. "I saw no other way to ensure my team's safety," Weesie told ANP. He mentioned it took 10 to 15 minutes after speaking with her for the officers to provide assistance. By then, the PowNed crew had taken refuge in a holiday cottage.
A police boat was dispatched from the mainland to evacuate the crew, but it had to turn back due to heavy seas and poor visibility, according to the media organization. The PowNed team spent the night on the island and left safely on Wednesday.
PowNed released a short video of the incident and plans to publish more footage online at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.